Shigechiyo Izumi

Shigechiyo Izumi (Japanese泉 重 千代; * in the 19th century in Isen, † February 21, 1986 ibid ) was in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest man to 2011.

Life

Izumi allegedly came in 1865 in what is now Isen on the island Tokunoshima, which belongs to the Ryukyu Islands, to the world. He earned his living as impellers of draft animals of a sugar factory. Later he became a sugar cane farmer and sat down to rest in 1970. He is said to have started at 70 years old to smoke and drank very much Shōchū. He led his long life according to the motto " Get up early and a grain spirit before going to sleep ." His wife died at the age of 90, he himself on February 21, 1986 - it was believed at the age of 120 years and 237 days - from a mild pneumonia.

Izumi was in 1978 recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records after turned out to hitherto believed people age as the alleged 137 years of American Charlie Smith as false. Shortly after his death there were doubts first Japanese scientist to his age, who held him for 105 years. The alleged date of birth is before the introduction of the Japanese Koseki Registry; Documents from his youth do not exist. It is believed that he was registered at the place of a deceased childhood elder brother in the family register. This practice of substituting in the family register should have been common in his home region in what is now southern Japan (then Kingdom of Ryukyu ). Since 2011, the Guinness Book of World Records Izumi leads therefore no more than the oldest man.