Jiroemon Kimura, World's Oldest Living Person, Dies at 116

Jiroemon Kimura, the oldest person in the world, died early Wednesday morning in a hospital in Japan. He was 116.

Born on April 19, 1897 when Emperor Meiji still ruled Japan, Kimura was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as being the oldest man in recorded history. Kimura lived though both World Wars, the advent of motor vehicles, television and the Internet, the tenure of 57 Japanese prime ministers and an era of great modernization and industrial revolution in Japan.

When Kimura turned 116 in April, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congratulated him in a taped message.

"I'm 58 years old, still a young man at only half your age. Thanks to you generation's efforts, Japan could overcome several difficult times and achieve the prosperity we enjoy today. Your healthy existence becomes our confidence and pride," Abe said.

Kimura is survived by five generations of descendants: five children, 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren, according to a report by Bloomberg News.

Japan has the highest life expectancy in the world, and as it goes, the world's highest population of elderly people, with 40 centenarians per 100,000 people in the country, according to Bloomberg News.

According to data from the Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group, the title of world's oldest living person now belongs to Misao Okawa of Japan, who was born on March 5, 1898.

The previous record-holder for male longevity, Christian Mortensen of California, died in 1998 at the age of 115 years and 252 days. The oldest person ever on record was French woman Jeanne Calment, who died at 122 in 1997.

Kimura's funeral is reportedly set for Friday.