Supercentenarian Profile

Kōzaburō Nojima

Born:

1910-12-18

Tokyo

Japan

Died:

2021-02-16

Katsushika, Tokyo

Japan

✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest

Kōzaburō Nojima (Japanese: 野島光三郎) was a Japanese supercentenarian whose age has been validated by LongeviQuest.

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. The incident left a deep impression on him, and for many years he experienced feelings of unease when going outside, which gradually improved around the age of 105. He also took heart medicine for many years out of concern for his health, although no specific condition was later identified.

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.