The world's oldest man, Tomoji Tanabe, died at his home in southern Japan on Friday at the age of 113, a local official said. Tanabe, who suffered from a chronic heart problem, passed away with his relatives at his bedside, said an official at Miyakonojo City, where he lived.
"Mr Tanabe was a symbol of Miyakonojo... and cheered up many residents," making the town a byword for longevity, said Mayor Makoto Nagamine. When Tanabe turned 113 on September 18, he said the secret to his longevity was a big appetite but a strict diet, together with avoiding alcohol, cigarettes and snacks.
Tanabe, who lived with a son and daughter-in-law, had eight children, 25 grandchildren, 53 great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. Japan has one of the world's highest life expectancy rates, attributed in part to a diet traditionally rich in fish, rice and vegetables. The world's oldest known person is 115-year-old Gertrude Baines who lives in Los Angeles.