Our Reporter

A Japanese man recognised as the world’s oldest living man earlier this month has died, local media reported yesterday.

Chitetsu Watanabe (112-year-old), a resident of the central Japanese city of Joetsu, died on Sunday, Kyodo News reported.

Born on March 5, 1907, Watanabe, lived in a nursing home.

He received an official certificate as the world’s oldest living man from Guinness World Records on Feb. 12.

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After graduating from agricultural school, Watanabe moved to Taiwan to work at a Japanese sugar production company there.

Following an 18-year stint there, he served in the Japanese military during World War II.

Watanabe returned to Niigata, his hometown, after the war and worked as a civil servant until his retirement.

He had five children, 12 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, according to Kyodo.

The world’s oldest living person, Kane Tanaka, also lives in Japan. She celebrated her 117-year-old birthday in January.