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Supercentenarian Profile

Nijiro Tokuda

Born:

1895-06-10

Kawanabe, Kagoshima Prefecture

Japan

Died:

2006-06-12

Kagoshima, Kagoshima Prefecture

Japan

✔ Age Certified by LongeviQuest

Nijiro Tokuda [Japanese:德田二次郎] was a Japanese supercentenarian. He was the oldest living man in Japan at the time of his death.

BIOGRAPHY

Nijiro Tokuda was born in Kawanabe Town, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan, on June 10, 1895. He worked as a technician for the former Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Public Corporation (now NTT) at its Osaka branch before returning to his hometown of Kawabe in 1952. There, he farmed while also helping relatives with their poultry business and lumber work.

Tokuda was passionate about fishing and continued going to the river almost daily until around the age of 90. After moving into a nursing home at 106, he enjoyed using both a single-lens reflex and a digital camera, capturing scenes of residents enjoying events as well as nearby landscapes.

By the age of 110, his vision had weakened, and he no longer pursued photography. He stated that his secret to longevity was “to stay quiet, calm, and never overexert.” He maintained a disciplined routine, rising at 7 a.m. and going to bed by 8 p.m., and read the newspaper thoroughly every day. At 110, he was still able to walk with a walker, going to the dining hall for meals three times a day. He had no particular food dislikes, ate meat without leaving anything behind, and followed the motto of “not snacking between meals.”

He was also known for his stylishness, often wearing a dress shirt, necktie, and beret when going out. He never missed voting in elections and lived by the principle of “not causing trouble for others,” always doing what he could on his own. His family remembered him as a considerate man with an optimistic nature who never complained.

In June 2005, following the death of Fui Onigahara of Kanoya City at the age of 110, Tokuda became the oldest living person in Kagoshima Prefecture. The following month, after the death of Kohachi Shigetaka of Hiroshima City at the age of 110, he became the oldest living man in Japan.

He celebrated his 111th birthday on June 10, 2006. Two days later, he passed away from natural causes in Kagoshima City at the age of 111 years and 2 days. Following his death, Tomoji Tanabe succeeded him as the oldest living man in Japan