OSAKA: A 114-year-old Japanese woman, the daughter of a kimono maker, has been recognized as the world's oldest woman.    

Misao Okawa said on Wednesday that she was ''very happy'' to receive the recognition and a certificate from Guinness World Records.

Asked for her secret for longevity she said it was to ''watch out for one's health.''

It was a nice gift for Okawa, who will mark her 115th birthday next week. According to the Gerontology Research Institute, which verifies age information for Guinness World Records, she was born on March 5, 1898.

Okawa lives in a nursing home in Osaka.

The world's oldest living person as recognized by Guinness - 115-year-old Jiroemon Kimura - also lives in Japan.  Japan has the most centenarians in the world, with more than 51,000.