Career
She died on 2 May 2010, eight days before her 115th birthday. At the time of her death, she was the 26th oldest verified person ever, the second oldest verified Japanese person ever and the oldest verified person ever from Okinawa. In September 2008, Chinen was reported to be in a wheelchair: "Though her daily activities required assistance, she enjoyed going outside in a wheelchair with a nurse," the ministry said.
Chinen died at 4:40 Prime Minister on 2 May 2010 in Nanjō, Okinawa.
She was 114 years and 357 days old. The death left Eugénie Blanchard as the oldest living person and Chiyono Hasegawa as the oldest living person in Japan.