World’s Oldest Living Man Reveals Longevity Secret — Chitetsu Watanabe Turns 113 in March 2020

Chitetsu Watanabe, aged 112, has been confirmed as the oldest living male by Guinness World Records as of 2020. He is currently residing at a nursing home in Niigata, Japan.

This award will be his advanced birthday present as he will be celebrating his 113th birthday in March 2020. His open secret to this longevity:

“not to get angry and keep a smile on your face.”

Born on 5th March 1907, he was the oldest of his eight siblings. After he graduated from agricultural school, he worked with Dai-Nippon Meiji Sugar (which is part of the Mitsubishi Corporation). During his years in his Dai-Nippon Meiji Sugar, he moved to Taiwan and lived there for 18 years where he got married and had five children.

As a man who has seen history, he served in the Japanese military during the Pacific War in 1944. After the war, Chitetsu returned to his hometown where he worked at an agricultural office, a branch of the Niigata Prefectural office, until retirement.

For the active Chitetsu, boredom hardly exists in his post-retirement life. He was an active gardener at his farm until he was 104 and staged his bonsai at a local exhibition when he was 107.

Highly attributable to his long service in the sugar company, the super-centenarian admits that he has a sweet tooth. His favourite is brown sugar. However, his source of sugar has shifted to custard pudding or anything which requires minimal chewing, due to his loss of teeth.

Perhaps if everyone dealt with life using the same happiness and vigour that Chitetsu does, we’ll all live to a ripe old age too.