Japanese great-grandfather becomes world’s oldest man

Mr Imich, formerly the world's oldest man, died on June 8 at his home in Manhattan, New York, US, aged 111. Now Sakari Momoi, who was born just one day after Mr Imich on February 5, 1903, has been awarded the title.Great-grandfather Mr Momoi was born in Fukushima city and later moved to Saitama City, where he has spent his life serving his community. In July last year, Mr Momoi, who served as the Chamber of Commerce executive director in his home of Yono, became Japan's oldest living man, after the death of Jokichi Ikarashi, who was 111.He was today confirmed as the world's oldest man, after the death of Mr Imich, a retired chemist and parapsychologist, who had held the title since May 8.     Karen Bogen, of Providence, the neice of Mr Imich, said she had visited her uncle the day before his death with her sister and several of his close friends. Mr Imich attributed his longevity to good genetics, proper nutrition and exercise and the fact that he and his wife did not have children, said Ms Bogen.Michael Mannion, a longtime friend, said Mr Imich's 'enormous curiosity and ability to turn even great adversity into something positive were important factors in his long life'.At the age of 93, Mr Imich enrolled for three years at the IM School of Healing Arts, a school that offers programmes in self-awareness and hands-on healing, 'because he wanted to learn more about love', said Mr Mannion.Mr Imich detailed the work of a Polish medium known as Matylda S in his book Incredible Tales Of The Paranormal, which was published in 1995 when he was 92.Mr Imich was born in 1903 in a town in Poland that was then part of Russia. He and his wife fled after the Nazis invaded in 1939. They moved to Connecticut, US in 1951.He then moved to New York after his wife's death in 1986. He began requiring round-the-clock help only in the last few months but declined markedly in the last two weeks, unable to recognise those around him, Ms Bogen said.Mr Imich listed some other possible reasons for his lifespan.They included not having children, participating in athletics, and abstaining from alcohol.Though Imich may have been the world's oldest living man, there are 66 women in the world older than him, according to the Gerontology Research Group's data.The world's oldest person is a woman, 116-year-old Misao Okawa, from Japan.(dailymail.co.uk)Bakudaily.az