A Japanese man reached the world record age of 115 years and 253 days on Friday, the Guinness Book of Records said. Jirouemon Kimura, of Kyotango city, near Kyoto, was born on April 19, 1897, and is "only the third man in history to be 115 years old," Guinness said.

Kimura's life across three centuries has spanned "immense social and technological advances including the advent of motor vehicles, television, the internet and 6 UK monarchs, 5 emperors of Japan and 20 US presidents," it said. Kimura has 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren. He owes his longevity to his motto "eat light to live long," the statement quoted him as saying. Kimura worked at a local post office for 38 years. He turned to farming after his retirement and continued until the age of 90.

Copyright Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 2012