Two Japanese sisters have become the world's oldest identical twins just 15 days shy of their 108th birthday

 Two Japanese sisters have become the world's oldest identical twins just days shy of their 108th birthday. 

Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama took the title at 107 years and 330 days. 

They were certified by Guinness World Records, which made the announcement on Monday to coincide with Respect for the Aged Day, a national holiday in Japan.

The sisters were born on Shodoshima island in the west of the country on November 5, 1913 as the third and fourth of 11 siblings.

Guinness World Records said in a statement that as of September 1, they had broken the previous record of 107 years and 175 days set by famous twin sisters Kin Narita and Gine Kanie - also from Japan.

Japan has the world's fastest aging population, with around 29 per cent of its 125 million people aged 65 or older, according to the health and welfare ministry.

About 86,510 of them are centenarians - half of whom turned 100 this year. 

Two Japanese sisters have become the world's oldest identical twins just days shy of their 108th birthday. Pictured: Umeno Sumiyama poses with her certificate

Two Japanese sisters have become the world's oldest identical twins just days shy of their 108th birthday. Pictured: Umeno Sumiyama poses with her certificate

Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama took the title at 107 years and 330 days. Picture: Kodama poses with her certificate

Umeno Sumiyama and Koume Kodama took the title at 107 years and 330 days. Picture: Kodama poses with her certificate

The sisters were born on Shodoshima island in the west of the country on November 5, 1913 as the third and fourth of 11 siblings. Pictured: The sisters together in previous years

The sisters were born on Shodoshima island in the west of the country on November 5, 1913 as the third and fourth of 11 siblings. Pictured: The sisters together in previous years

Sumiyama and Kodama were separated after finishing elementary school, when Kodama was sent to work as a maid in Oita on Japan's southern main island of Kyushu. 

She later married there, while Sumiyama remained on their native island where she had her own family.

Later in life, the twins recalled childhood hardships. They were targets of bullying because of prejudice against twins, triplets and other children of multiple births in Japan. 

Busy with their own lives for decades, the sisters rarely met until they turned 70, when they started making pilgrimages together to some of the 88 Shikoku temples venerated in Buddhism. 

Pictured: A photo of the sisters in their school days, Sumiyama is highlighed on the left and Kodama is highlighted on the right. Later in life, the sisters recalled being bullied due to prejudice against twins in Japan

Pictured: A photo of the sisters in their school days, Sumiyama is highlighed on the left and Kodama is highlighted on the right. Later in life, the sisters recalled being bullied due to prejudice against twins in Japan

For many years, the sisters, who lived on different islands, did not meet regularly

For many years, the sisters, who lived on different islands, did not meet regularly

Once they turned 70, they started making pilgrimages together to some of the 88 Shikoku temples venerated in Buddhism

Once they turned 70, they started making pilgrimages together to some of the 88 Shikoku temples venerated in Buddhism

Their families told Guinness World Records that the sisters often joked about outliving the earlier record holders, affectionately known as Kin-san and Gin-san, who attained idol-like status in the late 1990s for both their age and humour. 

Anti-coronavirus meant Sumiyama and Kodama were mailed their certificates at the separate nursing homes where they now live.

Sumiyama accepted hers with tears of happiness, according to Guinness, which added that Kodama's memory is not what it once was but that her family were thrilled with the honour as she'd often talked about Guinness World Records over the years. 

Japan is also home to Tanaka Kane, the world's oldest living person, who is currently 118 years old. 

The oldest man ever, Jiroemon Kimura, was also from Japan. He was born in 1897 and died in 2013, aged 116 years and 54 days.  

The sisters beat the record set by Japanese sisters Kin Narita and Gine Kanie who became household names in Japan

The sisters beat the record set by Japanese sisters Kin Narita and Gine Kanie who became household names in Japan

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