Over 65 years, same company, same job: Meet Yasuko Tamaki, the Japanese woman with a Guinness World Record

Staying with one company for a few years is considered loyalty. Doing it for more than six decades in the very same role is unprecedented.

Yasuko Tamaki, a Japanese professional from Osaka, has earned a place in the Guinness World Records for holding the same position at the same company for over 65 years. Her extraordinary career began in 1956, when she joined Sunco Industries Co., Ltd. at the age of 26, and continued well into her nineties.

In November 2020, Guinness World Records officially recognised Tamaki as the world’s oldest office manager. Born on May 15, 1930, she was 90 years and 174 days old at the time of the certification in 2020. Remarkably, according to a report of worldhealth.net, she was actively working at the company even in 2024. Another Youtube channel,

The Miracle Leaf, claimed she was working in 2025 at the age of 95 - that would increase her work experience to 69 years!

A career that outlasted generations

Tamaki has witnessed Sunco Industries grow from a small firm of about 20 employees into an organisation with more than 430 staff members. She later worked in the general affairs department, handling accounting, administrative responsibilities, and internal communications. Despite her age, much of her work involves computers—something she learned in her late sixties.

Tamaki was promoted to section chief at the age of 40. She continuously upgrades her skills—earning new certifications, learning emerging tools, and embracing change. She began studying computers at 67, mastered them by 70, and even enjoyed overnight ski trips with colleagues at an age when most people slow down. At 86, she was still pursuing formal learning opportunities. By 90, she had become comfortable using multiple social media platforms, a development that eventually brought her inspiring story to the attention of Guinness World Records.

When presented with the award, Tamaki reportedly said, “I’ve only been doing what I was supposed to do all these years...I’m deeply moved.”

She later added, “I believe everything adds up little by little. I’ve always felt I was born to be useful to others. Making the chairman, managers and coworkers happy—that has been my goal.”

She reportedly wakes up at 5:30 am, practices yoga for 30 minutes, and recites Buddhist wisdom sutras before heading to work by foot, bus, or metro.

She is an avid reader and has taken the Japan Kanji Aptitude Test (Semi-Grade 1) to keep her cognitive skills sharp. In her free time, she enjoys card games, mahjong, and offering thoughtful advice to colleagues who seek her guidance.