Japanese man, 114, named world's oldest

KYODO, Japan, April 19 (UPI) -- Guinness World Records announced a 114-year-old Japanese man has been declared the world's oldest living man following the death of the previous record holder.

Guinness said Jiroemon Kimura of Kyodo celebrated his 114th birthday Tuesday and inherited the title of the world's oldest man from Walter Breuning of the United States, who died April 14.

The record-keeping organization said Kimura, the last known man living to have been born prior to 1897, is now the third oldest person in Japan and the sixth oldest person in the world. He is the only man on the list of the world's 10 oldest people.

Kimura said part of his secret to long life is eating meals in small portions.

"With the sad passing of Walter, the world is left with the one remaining man who was alive in the 19th century," said Craig Glenday, editor-in-chief of Guinness. "It's incredible to think that Kimura's life spans three centuries -- when he was born, Dracula had yet to be published, Queen Victoria was a few weeks from her Diamond Jubilee and the Wright Brothers were six years from their first successful test flight. How the world has moved on during his lifetime!"