Shigeru Hirose

BIOGRAPHY

Shigeru Hirose was born in Himeji, Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on 1 November 1903. After graduating from the Faculty of Medicine of Tokyo Imperial University (now the University of Tokyo) in 1927, he worked at a hospital in Oita Prefecture and contributed to the development of Japan’s first pediatric infusion.

In 1938, he moved to Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, where he served as the head of the pediatric department at the Navy Mutual Aid Hospital and as a physician to the Imperial Household Agency. He held these positions for 30 years.

At the age of 65, he became an independent private practitioner and continued to work until he was 90 years old. His wife Ayako passed away in 2000 at the age of 94, but during their lifetime, they were honored by the city as a married couple with a combined age of 188 years.

After retirement, Hirose continued to paint oils and watercolors as a hobby even after he turned 100. At the age of 100, he lived with his eldest daughter, who was then 70, and it was his daily routine to get up at 6:30 every morning and take a 30-minute walk. His eldest daughter said, “He’s always positive. He decides his own actions for the day and has the energy to get involved in society.” At that age, he had nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. His eldest son, also a pediatrician, died in 2004 at the age of 75 while volunteering as a medical professional in Burma. Despite his son’s death, Hirose continued to work energetically, organizing his son’s records in Myanmar and writing memorials.

When asked by the city mayor about the secret to his longevity, he replied, “It’s important to take a nap and rest.”

Hirose passed away of natural causes at his home on 27 March 2014, at the age of 110 years, 146 days.

RECOGNITION

In 2010, at the age of 106, Hirose became the oldest living man in Kanagawa Prefecture.

His age was verified by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare (MHLW), as well as Ryohei Asano and Yumi Yamamoto, and validated by LongeviQuest on 14 June 2024.

ATTRIBUTION

* 全国高齢者名簿, September 2003

* “前向き100歳、「初日」の絵 —横須賀の広瀬さん、医師会報表紙に登場” – Mainichi Shimbun, 23 February 2004

* “墓碑銘 2014 誇り高く生きて” – Kanagawa Shimbun, 31 December 2014

* e-stat

GALLERY

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