Advertisement

World’s oldest man rings in an impressive 116 years on the planet

For those glued to their laptops or TV screens in need a little levity here’s a two-minute dose of something nice.

The world’s oldest person, Jiroemon Kimura, just rang in his 116th birthday with a big
celebration (but not too big a celebration because… 116).

As Reuters reports, Kimura catapulted very, very gently to the top of the age charts this past December after previous title holder, Dina Manfredini of Iowa, shuffled off to the great bingo hall in the sky.

Surrounded by family and friends, the resident of Kyotango, a city in the Kyoto prefecture of Japan accepted the good wishes of impressed people from around the world.

"I truly congratulate you on your 116th birthday," Japanese Prime Minister Shenzo Abe expressed in a video message.

[ Related: World's oldest person celebrates his 116th birthday in Japan ]

"I'm 58 years old, still a young man at only half your age. Thanks to your generation's efforts, Japan could overcome several difficult times and achieve the prosperity we enjoy today. Your healthy existence becomes our confidence and pride."

Math indicates that Kimura was born in 1897, placing him in the rarefied and sadly dwindling company of those whose lifetimes span three different centuries.

And to answer your next question, yes, there must be something in the air in Japan, as the article notes that it is also home to the world’s oldest woman and an additional 50,000 people who fall on the other side of the centenarian line.

Or perhaps more specifically, something in the diet: Japan boasts one of the world’s lowest rates of heart disease and cancer, a medical fact aided by their ticker-healthy lifestyle choices that involve fresh fish, vegetables, very little wheat and dairy, and, in some regions, a cutback on salt.

Japan’s famed salarymen did not statistically contribute to this survey, as they were too busy working 25 hours a day.

For his part, however, Kimura stays healthy and spry by subsisting on a diet of rice, pumpkins and sweet potato, three daily meals lovingly prepared by his grandmother-aged granddaughter-in-law.

[ Related: Woman listed as oldest American dies in Florida at age 113 ]

While Kimura’s incredible age warrants mention on its own merit, his longevity also reminds us that life is pretty amazing and we’re lucky to experience it – a fact we sometimes require a week like the one we just passed to remind us.