KYOTANGO, Japan, June 11 (UPI) -- The world's oldest person, Jiroemon Kimura of Japan, died early Wednesday of natural causes, local government officials said. He was 116 years, 54 days.
Kyodo News reported his death was attributed to natural causes.
The Internet encyclopedia Wikipedia, citing the Gerontology Research Group, says the mantle of oldest living human goes to Misao Okawa of Japan at 115 years, 99 days. She lives in a nursing home in Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka.
Kimura, a resident of Kyotango, Kyoto prefecture, had achieved the status of oldest living person, as determined by Guinness World Records, on Dec. 17 when Italian-born Dina Manfredini of Iowa died.
Kimura was a postal worker from the time he was 20 until he retired in 1962 at age 65. He also worked as a government communications worker in Korea in the 1920s.
Four of Kimura's siblings lived past the age of 90, with one brother reaching 100.
Okawa had two daughters (one died) and a son, four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
