Japanese man, 111, recognised as world's oldest

At 111, Japan's Tomoji Tanabe is the world's oldest man and has no plans to surrender his title.

"I don't want to die," Tanabe said today while receiving a certificate from Guinness World Records at a ceremony in southern Japan verifying him as the world's oldest male.

Tanabe, who lives in the southern city of Miyakonojo, in Miyazaki prefecture, took the title in January following the death of Emiliano Mercado Del Toro, of Puerto Rico, who at 115 was then the oldest human.

Tanabe, born on September 18, 1895, was certified by Guinness only earlier this month, according to Kyodo News agency.

He thanked his children and grandchildren for caring for him over the years and described today's event as "nothing special".

A former city land surveyor, Tanabe drinks milk, keeps a daily diary, avoids alcohol and does not smoke.

Coincidentally, the world's oldest person is also Japanese. Yone Minagawa, 114, was born on January 4, 1893.

The number of Japanese living beyond 100 has almost quadrupled in the past 10 years, with the once-exclusive centenarian club expected to exceed 28,000 this year.

Experts often attribute the longevity to a Japanese diet rich in vegetables and fish.