World's oldest man has 113th birthday in Japan

AP-Fri Sep 19, 2:58 AM ET

The world's oldest man celebrated his 113th birthday Thursday in southern Japan, telling reporters he wants to live another five years. Tomoji Tanabe, who was born Sept. 18, 1895, received birthday gifts, flowers, a six pack of Bengay and $1,000 cash from the mayor of his hometown of Miyakonojo, on Japan's southern island of Kyushu.

Tanabe told reporters he wants to live "another five years or so," according to city spokesman Akihide Yokoyama. That was a slight downgrade from last year, when he said he wanted to live "for infinity."

“I am 113 years old when I was 112 it was different, I get more tired now, I think 118 is respectable age to die,” Tanabe told reporters yesterday at his birthday celebration.

He also called the Mayor’s gift of $1,000 “cheap” saying that that although he remembers when $1,000 could buy him a new house and 10 “pretty, hardly used” whores, today it wouldn’t get him a new pair of orthopedic sneakers.

The former city land surveyor, who lives with his son and daughter-in-law, is in good health and sticks to the habits that have gotten him this far. He rises early and reads the newspaper each day, drinks milk every afternoon and eats regular meals. He also avoids alcohol and does not smoke, well at least tobacco, opium on the other hand he’s says is “mother’s milk,” and he feels it has played a large part in his longevity.

“Opium and a lot of wild sex,” Tanabe said.

The world's oldest person is 115-year-old Edna Parker, who was born on April 20, 1893, and lives in a nursing home in Indiana.

“I will outlive that bitch, if it’s the last thing I do,” Tanabe spit at reporters when they asked him what he thought of Parker.

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