Shigechiyo Izumi
| Shigechiyo Izumi | |
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| Born | June 29, 1865? Tokunoshima, Amami Islands, Ryukyu |
| Died | February 21, 1986 (aged 120 years, 237 days?) Tokunoshima, Amami Islands, Japan |
| Cause of death | Pneumonia |
Shigechiyo Izumi (泉 重千代 Izumi Shigechiyo, June 29, 1865? – February 21, 1986) was a Japanese centenarian and, according to Guinness World Records, became the oldest living person after the death of Niwa Kawamoto, also from Japan. If his claimed birth-date is correct, he died aged 120 years and 237 days, older than any other recognized man, and would be the second-longest verified lived human ever, surpassed only by Frenchwoman Jeanne Calment.[1] He would also hold the record for the longest working career for a person, spanning 98 years. His name was recorded in Japan's first census of 1871.
Izumi's wife died at the age of 90. He drank brown sugar shōchū (a Japanese alcoholic beverage often distilled from barley or rice), and took up smoking at age 70.[2] He claimed to have begun his career in 1872, goading draft animals at a sugar mill, and retired as a sugarcane farmer in 1970 at the supposed age of 105. He attributed his long life to "the Gods, Buddha and the Sun".
After a brief hospitalization, Izumi died of pneumonia[1] at 21:15 Japan Standard Time (JST) on February 21, 1986, the same day as Jeanne Calment's 111th birthday. Izumi was the longest holder of the "oldest living person" title. He is also one of only two people (the other being Jeanne Calment) verified to have lived past a 120th birthday, although subsequent research has cast doubt on the verification. In April 1987, 14 months after Izumi's death, the Department of Epidemiology at the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology reported that research into Izumi's family registration records indicated Izumi died at the age of 105.[3][4]
The oldest undisputed case of male longevity is that of Christian Mortensen (1882–1998), who died at the age of 115 years and 252 days. The oldest Japanese man ever whose age is undisputed, was Yukichi Chuganji (1889-2003) who lived to be 114 years and 189 days.
After his death, Mamie Eva Keith became the world's oldest person.
See also
- List of the oldest people
- Longevity
- Longevity claims
- Longevity narratives
- Oldest people
- Senescence
- Centenarian
- Jean Teillet, the oldest man in the world at the time if Izumi's birthdate was not correct
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Guinness Book of Records, 1999 edition, p. 102. ISBN 0851120709.
- ↑ Guinness Book of Records (1993 (32nd edition) ed.). Guinness World Records Limited. October 1992. pp. 320 pages. ISBN 0851129781.
- ↑ Asahi News Service, APRIL 6, 1987, MONDAY, JAPANESE EXPERT DEBUNKS IDEA OF 'VILLAGE OF 100-YEAR-OLDS'
- ↑ http://supercentenarian.com/oldest/izumi.html The Shigechiyo Izumi Case
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Martha Graham |
Oldest recorded person ever December 28, 1979 – October 16, 1995 |
Succeeded by Jeanne Calment |
| Preceded by Thomas Peters (disputed) |
Oldest recorded man ever June 18, 1977 – present |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
| Preceded by Niwa Kawamoto |
Oldest recognized living person November 16, 1999 – February 21, 1986 |
Succeeded by Mamie Eva Keith |
| Preceded by Frederick Butterfield |
Oldest recognized living man March 9, 1974 – February 21, 1986 |
Succeeded by Joe Thomas |
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