Early Sunday morning, Masazo Nonaka—known as the world's oldest man—died at the age of 113.
According to Nonaka's granddaughter Yuko, Masazo passed from natural causes while sleeping peacefully at his home in Ashoro, Japan.
Nonaka was born on July 25, 1905 and grew up with seven siblings. In 1936, Nonaka married and eventually had five children of his own. Prior to retiring and indulging in sweets and sumo wrestling, Nonaka occupied his time by operating a hot springs inn, where he lived until his death.
Despite his age, his granddaughter and current owner of the family's inn told the press that his passing came as a surprise.
"We feel shocked at the loss of this big figure," Yuko Nonaka said to Kyodo News. "He was as usual yesterday and passed away without causing our family any fuss at all."
Guinness World Records named Masazo Nonaka the world's oldest living man in April 2018 following the death of Spain's Francisco Nunez Olivera. Japan also has one of the world's highest life expectancies. In fact, it has been home to many of the world's oldest men/women—including Jiroemon Kimura, who lived to be 116 before passing in 2013.
