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World’s oldest man, who said secret was smiling, dies at 112

25 February 2020 14:20 (UTC +04:00)

A Japanese man who received his certificate as the world’s oldest man with a raised fist and big smiles earlier this month has died at 112, APA reports citing The Hindu.

Guinness World Records had given the certificate to Chitetsu Watanabe on Feb. 12. The organization and the funeral home handling his services confirmed on Tuesday he had died Sunday. No cause was given.

Watanabe is survived by his five children, 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, Mainichi said.

Watanabe’s family did not immediately answer calls to their home.

Watanabe was born in 1907 and worked in Taiwan for 18 years. After returning to Niigata, northern Japan, he worked for the prefectural government until retirement.

Guinness in Japan offered its condolences to his family.

The oldest living person is also Japanese, Kane Tanaka, a 117-year-old woman.