Tomoji Tanabe

Infobox_Person
name = Tomoji Tanabe


image_size =
caption =
birth_date = September 18, 1895 (age, age in years and days|1895|9|18)
birth_place = Miyakonojo,
Miyazaki Prefecture,
Japan
death_date =
death_place =
title = World's oldest man
occupation = Former civil engineer

nihongo|Tomoji Tanabe|田鍋友時|Tanabe Tomoji| (born September 18, 1895) is a Japanese supercentenarian and, currently, at age 113, the oldest living man in the world. Tanabe became the oldest man in Japan following the death of Nijiro Tokuda, who was 111 at the time, on June 12, 2006. Upon the death of 115-year-old Emiliano Mercado del Toro on January 24, 2007, he assumed the title of the oldest validated man in the world. He is the last man born in 1895.

As of June 2008, Tanabe is the 12th-oldest validated person in the world and the third-oldest in Japan. In spite of being the youngest "oldest living man" since 1999 at his title accession in January 2007, Tanabe now ranks 13th among the oldest men ever as of late August 2008. This is inclusive of the disputed cases of Shigechiyo Izumi, Mathew Beard and Moses Hardy.fact|date=July 2008In addition, Tanabe is one of only ten men ever to reach the verified age of 113 without dispute.

Born in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, Tanabe worked as a civil engineer at the city office. [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/06/18/world/main2944766.shtml 111-Year-Old Cited As World's Oldest Man] ] He has eight children, 25 grandchildren and 54 great-grandchildren. [http://www.longcountdown.com/2006/09/26/elderly-woman-loses-fingers/ Mainichi News] ] He says total abstinence from alcohol is the secret to his longevity. [http://www.eitb24.com/new/en/B24_53836/life/GUINNESS-BOOK-WORLD-RECORDS-Japanese-teetotaller-worlds/ Japanese teetotaller world's oldest man at 111] ] On his 112th birthday, he stated: "I want to live forever. I don't want to die"," as he received 100,000 yen ($870) and flowers from the local mayor. Tanabe (Guinness Book of World Records' oldest living male, June 2007) is "extremely healthy"." He eats vegetables and does not drink alcohol, just daily milk. [ [http://uk.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUKT17091720070918 Reuters, World's oldest man turns 112] ] [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7000487.stm BBC News, Oldest man marks 112th birthday] ]

A former city land surveyor, [ [http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1221489066069&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull jpost.com, World's oldest man celebrates 113th birthday in Japan] ] Tanabe, on his 113th birthday said "I am happy. I eat a lot. I don't want to die yet." Last year, he said he wanted to "live indefinitely." [ [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article4777884.ece timesonline.co.uk, Tomoji Tanabe, world's oldest man, turns 113] ] [ [http://news.smh.com.au/world/worlds-oldest-man-turns-113-20080918-4j3x.html news.smh.com.au, World's oldest man turns 113] ] Tanabe received a giant tea cup engraved with his name and date of birth plus birthday gifts, flowers and US $ 1,000 cash from Miyakonojo Mayor Makoto Nagamine. A Miyakonojo official said: "His favorite food is fried shrimp, but we've heard that he's cut back on oily food. He's said he wants to live for another 10 years, that he doesn't want to die." [ [http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUST25714020080918 reuters.com, Happy 113th birthday for world's oldest man] ]

ee also

* List of living supercentenarians
* List of the verified oldest men
* List of the verified oldest people
* Longevity
* Oldest people
* Supercentenarian

References