How to live to be 116 years like Japan’s Kimura 
Published on April 19, 2013 by pmnews · No Comments
Japanese Jiroemen Kimura marked his 116th birthday today, going into the Guinness world records as Today the oldest living person on earth, and the oldest to ever live.
The former postman, Kimura was born on April 19 1897, was named the world’s oldest person by Guinness World Records after the death of American woman Dina Manfredini on December 17 2012.
He is now the oldest man to ever have lived whose age has been officially verified, taking over the title from Christian Mortensen of California, who died in 1998 at the age of 115 years and 252 days.
Jiroemen Kimura: world’s oldest man. AFP Photo
Mr Kimura’s motto in life and secret to longevity is ‘to eat light and live long’, an official said.
The centenarian does not smoke, drinks only a ‘modest’ amount of alcohol, and has made it a practice to eat only until he is 80 per cent full.
He has 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren, and celebrated his birthday with relatives.
On his special day he received a visit from the mayor of his home city of Kyotango in the west of Japan.
He was sent a video message from Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to wish him a happy birthday and offer congratulations on holding a world record.
His title as the oldest living person at present is contested by a Chinese woman Luo Meizhen, a woman who claims to have turned 127 in September.
But Ms Luo has no birth certificate to prove her age, only an ID card which states she was born in 1885.
Mr Kimura is one of 95 people who will be 100 years old or more in his home city of Kyotango which has a 60,000-strong population.
Kyotango officials now want to find the secret of his longevity and have launched a research project.
‘We want city residents to know of the secrets of what enables a long life-span but also to attract tourists to this long-living city,’ the official said.
.Culled from Mail Online. Read more by clicking: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2311483/Worlds-oldest-person-Jiroemon-Kimura-celebrates-116th-birthday-longest-living-man-EVER.htm
