The oldest man in the world dies in Japan at the age of 113

The oldest man in the world dies in Japan at 113

The oldest man in the world died at home in northern Japan at the age of 113.

Masazo Nonaka died peacefully from natural causes at his family's hot springs in Ashoro early Sunday morning, his granddaughter told local media.

His death comes less than a year after he was certified by Guinness World Records in April 2018 as the oldest man in the world.

This honor followed the death of Spain's previous record holder in January.

"We are shocked by the loss of this great figure," Yuko, Nonaka's granddaughter, told Kyodo News.

"He was as usual yesterday and died without causing any problems to our family."

Nonaka was born on July 25, 1905, and in his youth he worked as a farmer and lumberjack before running the inn of his family's hot springs, according to earlier reports.

In the end, he survived his wife, seven of his brothers and sisters and three of his five children, reported the Associated Press.

He attributed his impressive longevity to sweets and hot springs – although Yuko, who now runs the family's inn, said he lived rather stress-free.

If he did not want something, she told Guinness World Records officials last year, he made sure everyone knew it.

The oldest person in the world is also Japanese.

Kane Tanaka is a 116-year-old woman who lives on the main island of Kyushu in southern Japan, according to the AP.

The oldest man of all time is Jiroemon Kimura, also Japanese, who has lived 116 years and 54 days, according to Guinness World Records.

The oldest person in the world whose age was authenticated by Guinness World Records was Jeanne Louise Calment of France, who lived 122 years and 164 days.

Like Nonaka, Calment was known for her taste for sweets, although she also smoked cigarettes up to the age of 117, according to the record keeping website.

A recent article suggests that Calment's daughter had acquired her identity in 1934 and that the woman who died in 1997 was 99 years old.

However, a researcher who helped verify Calment's age says that the theory is "incredibly fragile and is not based on anything.

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