The last man alive to have been born in the 19th Century (but there are still 21 women) Supercentenarian Jiroemon Kimura, 116, was born on April 19, 1897 He became oldest person alive in December after death of Dina Manfredini There may still be 21 women, but at 116 he's the last man standing. With the death in Barbados of James Emmanuel 'Doc' Sisnett, at the age of 113 years and 90 days, the world's oldest living person Jiroemon Kimura is the last man alive to have been born in the 19th century. Japanese former postman Mr Kimura, who was born on April 19, 1897, was named the world's oldest person by Guinness World Records after the death of American woman Dina Manfredini on December 17 2012. Last man standing: Jiroemen Kimura is the last man alive to have been born in the 19th century There is now only him and 21 women born before New Year's Day, 1901, who are still with us Now, according to the Gerontolgy Research Group at UCLA, there's only him and 21 women born before New Year's Day, 1901, who are still with us, The Age reported. Most of them live in the U.S. or Japan, with others in Europe and Canada. Supercentenarian Mr Kimura was born on April 19, 1897. Supercentenarians are people who have lived past their 110th birthday, and while it's estimated that there may be 200 or 300 living today, only 60-odd have been verified by reliable birth records. Of them only two, Mr Kimura and Japanese woman Misao Okawa, are known to be still living aged 115 or older. Being born in the year 30 of the Meiji period, Mr Kimura has lived in the reigns of four emperors, and through the premierships of 61 Japanese prime ministers, from Matsukata Masayoshi to Shinzo Abe. Mr Kimura retired in 1962 aged 65, after working for 45 years in the Japanese post office. Jiroemon Kimura (pictured with Kyotango city mayor Yasushi Nakayama) watches a TV birthday message from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe last month The Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recorded a birthday message for Jiroemon Kimura who turned 116 today Jiroemon Kimura was congratulated by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for being the world's oldest person and the oldest ever man He now lives in Kyotango, Kyoto Prefecture, with his eldest son's widow, 83, and his grandson's widow, 59, and attributes his long life to eating small portions of food, and admits to spending most of his time 'in bed'. Mr Kimura's motto in life and secret to longevity is "to eat light and live long," an official said. The centenarian does not smoke, drinks only a "modest" amount of alcohol, and has made it a practice to eat only until he is 80 per cent full. He has 14 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren, and celebrated his birthday with relatives. His title as the oldest living person at present is contested by a Chinese woman Luo Meizhen, a woman who claims to have turned 127 in September. But Ms Luo has no birth certificate to prove her age, only an ID card which states she was born in 1885. Kyotango city mayor Yasushi Nakayama, left, hands out a binder full of birthday messages to Jiroemon Kimura Jiroemon Kimura appeared in good spirits at his 116th birthday celebration with Kyotango city mayor Yasushi Nakayama