“World’s oldest man” Masazo Nonaka, who was born just two years after
the Wright brothers launched humanity’s first powered flight, died
today at the age of 113.
According to Guinness World Records, Nonaka was born in July
1905, just months before Albert Einstein published his special theory of
relativity. Guinness officially recognised Nonaka as the oldest living
man after the death of Spaniard Francisco Nunez Olivera last year.
“We feel shocked at the loss of this big figure. He was as usual
yesterday and passed away without causing our family any fuss at all,”
his granddaughter Yuko told Kyodo News.
Nonaka had six brothers and one sister, marrying in 1931 and
fathering five children. He ran a hot spring inn in his hometown and in
retirement enjoyed watching sumo wrestling on TV and eating sweets,
according to local media. Japan has one of the world’s highest life
expectancies and was home to several people recognised as among the
oldest humans to have ever lived.
They include Jiroemon Kimura, the longest-living man on record, who
died soon after his 116th birthday in June 2013. The oldest verified
person ever Jeanne Louise Calment of France died in 1997 at the age of
122, according to Guinness.