The Guinness World Records yesterday (September 20) confirmed that Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama of Japan are the oldest identical  female living twins . As of September 1, 2021, they are 107 years and 300 days old.

As the twins are living separately in different care homes, their certificates were presented to them by care home staff.

The sisters were born November 5, 1913 on Shodo Island, Kagawa prefecture, Japan. Their family was a large one with 13 members. The twins as per their relatives were sociable and positive. While Koume is more gentle, Umeno is strong-willed.

The twins started living separately from a young age as Koume left the island to help her uncle after finishing her elementary school, and Umeno got married and started living in Shodo Island.

The twins witnessed the two World Wars.

Staying apart, the two met during family gatherings like weddings and funerals.

Things changed after they two reached the age of 70 as they travelled together to visit Buddhist pilgrimages together on many occasions.

Getting old, the twins would joke and wonder if they would catch up to Kin Narita and Gin Kanie, who held the earlier record of being the oldest identical twins living and popular figures in Japan.

Celebrating their 99th birthday, Umeno, seeing the picture of Kin and Gin remarked: "I think we look younger"!

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic social restrictions, the Guinness World Records couldn’t visit them to present the certificates. Seeing their respective certificates, Umeno was in tears while Koume, who unfortunately has a failing memory, could not comprehend its significance.