The world's oldest man died at the age of 111 in New York on Sunday, leaving a Japanese man, also aged 111, as the world's oldest.
The death of Alexander Imich, a retired chemist and parapsychologist, was reported Monday. Imich was born on Feb. 4, 1903, in Poland, and moved to the United States in 1951.
Sakari Momoi, who is one day younger than Imich, comes from Minamisoma in Fukushima Prefecture. He is now a resident of the city of Saitama.
If he is recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest man, Japan will be home to the world's oldest man and oldest woman.
The world's oldest person, according to Guinness, is Misao Okawa, 116, who lives in Osaka.
Momoi was a teacher of agricultural chemistry for many years. He was the first principal of Hanawa High School in Fukushima Prefecture. It has since been renamed Hanawa Technical High School. He moved to what is now the city of Saitama about 60 years ago. He also served as principal of Yono High School in Saitama Prefecture.
