Guinness World Records, the authority in record breaking achievement, is saddened to learn of the passing of Sakari Momoi today (July 7th) who held the title of Oldest living man. Our thoughts and condolences are with Mr. Momoi’s friends and family.
Born on 5 February 1903 in Soma (now, Minami Soma), Fukushima, Mr. Momoi became a teacher and later worked as the principle of high schools in Fukushima and Saitama prefecture. In 1928, he married (the late) Ms. Tamiko and had 5 children.
Mr. Momoi took the title after Mr. Alexander Imich (NY, United States) passed away on 8 June 2014 aged 111 years 124 days. The oldest person ever to have lived is Jeanne Calment (France), who lived to 122 years and 164 days, and the oldest man ever is Jiroemon Kimura (Japan), who was born on 19 April 1897 and passed away aged 116 years 54 days on 12 June 2013.
Announced this week was our new record holder for oldest person living and oldest living female, Susannah Mushatt Jones, who has just celebrated her 116th birthday.
"To put Mr Momoi’s age into perspective, he was born before the Wright brothers made their first powered flight, before Henry Ford produced his first car, and before the birth of author George Orwell and jazz legends Bix Beiderbeck and Fats Waller," said Guinness World Records Editor in Chief Craig Glenday at the time of Mr Momoi's official certificate presentation.
"Back in 1903, the world had only just staged the second ever modern Olympic Games and Albert Einstein was yet to publish his theory of Special Relativity."
Guinness World Records is currently investigating the title for the oldest man living. Further information will be announced upon confirmation of the next record holder.