Baku-APA. The world's oldest living person on Friday celebrated his 116th birthday in the western Japanese prefecture of Kyoto, APA reports quoting Xinhua.
Jiroemon Kimura, who has been certified by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest living person, received a total of 156 celebration messages and letters from around the world.
Fellow citizens, including the mayor, visited his home in Kyotango City of the northern part of the prefecture, and organized a modest longevity ceremony with a video message from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
"I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart,"the Prime Minister said in the video.
"I am 58 years old, but still too young compared with you, and you are our country's pride."
According to the spokesperson of the city, after Kimura watched the prime minister's message with the mayor Yasushi Nakayama at the bedroom, he expressed his happiness to the officials, repeatedly saying "yes" with a few words which meant thanks to all the people.
To mark the occasion, the mayor also brought Kimura special presents, such as "Nishijin" silk fabrics and a tapestry.
During the ceremony, Nakayama said he was happy to spend the day to cerebrate Kimura's long life, and that all the local staff wish Kimura to enjoy his life more and further.
After the birthday event, the city's spokesperson Yasuhiro Kawato told Xinhua that although Kimura's false teeth were not well-fixed these days, his health condition is quite good, adding that he eats three meals a day, which are cooked as soft semiliquid food by his family members or the care staff.
Kyotango will soon establish a special research team to find the secret of Kimura's longevity, he added.
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