BIOGRAPHY

Kōzaburō Nojima was born in Tokyo, Japan, on 18 December 1910. After graduating from the upper grades of elementary school, he attended high school but was affected by the Great Kanto Earthquake on 1 September 1923, which disrupted his academic life.

After several years of apprenticeship at a small factory, he became independent and started a celluloid toy factory in Mukojima (now Sumida Ward). Although the business was initially successful, the factory was destroyed by a fire of unknown origin. This incident caused him long-term trauma, and he struggled with anxiety disorder (agoraphobia) until he was about 105 years old. He also believed he had heart disease and took medication for many years, only to later discover that he did not have the condition.

Nojima was affected by the Great Tokyo Air Raid on 10 February 1945, but evacuated with his family to Yamagata Prefecture, returning to Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, in November of the same year. He was described as a skillful person who liked to work diligently. After World War II, he worked as a painter of hairpins and continued painting as a hobby into his later years.

According to Nojima’s family, he lived alone until he was 110 years old, remaining healthy and independent with a strong appetite, even grilling his own beef in the morning.

On 16 February 2021, Nojima passed away in Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, at the age of 110 years, 60 days.

RECOGNITION

At the time of his death, he was the oldest living man in Tokyo and the second-oldest living man in Japan, behind Mikizō Ueda.

His age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Yumi Yamamoto, Yu Li, and Hideo Nojima, and validated by LongeviQuest on 19 June 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* “いつも元気な107歳　野島光三郎さん” – Tokyo Katsushika Medical Cooperative, 1 November 2018

* “110歳を迎えた野島光三郎さん” – Tokyo Katsushika Medical Cooperative, 1 January 2021

GALLERY