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Japanese man, 112, is named the world’s oldest man - and celebrates with cake

<em>Masazo Nonaka is officially the world’s oldest living man (PA)</em>
Masazo Nonaka is officially the world’s oldest living man (PA)

The world’s oldest living man has been named as Masazo Nonaka, who is still going strong at the grand old age of 112 years and 259 days.

The Japanese supercentenarian received the certificate from Guinness World Records in a ceremony at his home in Ashoro, on Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido, and celebrated with a big cake.

Mr Nonaka was born on July 25 1905, and grew up in a large family that has run a hot springs inn in northern Japan for four generations

The record-breaker succeeded his parents running the 105-year-old inn but it is now run by his granddaughter Yuko.

He regularly soaks in the springs and also enjoys eating sweets, especially cakes.

<em>The 112-year-old celebrated his record by tucking in to some cake (PA)</em>
The 112-year-old celebrated his record by tucking in to some cake (PA)

Mr Nonaka, wearing a knit cap and a kimono-style jacket, flashed a smile and posed for a group photo with his family, making a victory sign with his right hand.

He dug into the cake after it was cut and served, describing it as ‘delicious’, according to NHK public television.

Mr Nonaka still moves about by himself in a wheelchair, family members said.

He reads a newspaper after breakfast every morning, and loves to watch sumo wrestling and samurai dramas on TV.

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But his favourite pastime is to soak in the hot springs and relax.

Mr Nonaka has outlived all seven of his siblings, as well as his wife and two of their five children.

Guinness said Mr Nonaka replaced Francisco Olivera of Spain, who died earlier this year aged 113, as the world’s oldest man.

A 117-year-old Japanese woman, Nabi Tajima, who is currently the oldest living person in Japan, is expected to be certified as the world’s new oldest person, replacing Violet Moss-Brown of Jamaica, who died in September at the age of 117.