(RxWiki News) Japan's Jiroemon Kimura can add the end of the Mayan calendar to the list of things he's lived through over the course of his lifetime. That list stretches back before Internet, TV, cars and 20 US presidents.
Kimura is the Oldest Man Ever in the world today at 115 years and 253 days, according to Guinness World Records. He's also Oldest Living Man and Oldest Living Person.
"'Eat light to live long' is Kimura's personal motto."
The previous record holder for oldest authenticated age by a man was by Thomas Peter Thorvald Kristian Ferdinand 'Christian' Mortensen who lived 115 years, 252 days.
Kimura was born April 19, 1897 and is the third man in recorded history to reach 115 years of age.
He's from Kyotango City, Kyoto in Japan, which has the greatest number of centenarians, or people over 100 years of age, across the globe per capita. Okinawa has the highest concentration with 50 centenarians per 100,000 people.
Japan is also home to the record for oldest average age, where the median age - meaning that there is an equal number of people above and below - is 44.7 years.
Kimura became the oldest living person on December 17 after Dina Manfredini of the US passed away at 115 years, 257 days.
"The record for oldest living man lies at the very heart of Guinness World Records, and to be able to present Mr. Kimura his third Guinness World Records title is truly an honor," Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness World Records, said in a press release.
"Kimura-san is an exceptional person; we know of only four other male supercentenarians alive today, and incredibly, he is only the third man in history to reach the age of 115."
Kimura, who believes being a healthy, small eater is key to his longevity, worked at the post office from 1914 until retirement at age 65. He continued to engage in agriculture until he was 90.
He has 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren. He's lived through a number of technological and social changes, as well as five Emperors of Japan.
The record for oldest person ever to have lived still belongs to Jeanne Calment of France, who lived to 122 years, 164 days.
