Hikaru Katō of Kumamoto Prefecure, 111, officially became the oldest living man in Japan
The Gerontology Research Group is pleased to announced that Mr. Hikaru Katō (加藤光) of Kumamoto Prefecture, 111, has officially became the oldest living man in Japan following the death of Kiyotaka Mizuno of Shizuoka Prefecture on 8 February 2026.
Hikaru Katō was born on 2 May 1914 (Taishō 3), in Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. He joined the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and was drafted at the age of 24. He was initially sent to Taiwan. He then landed in the Philippines, where he encountered American troops and was injured in his right leg. He was stationed on the Indonesian island of Timor, where Japan was defeated.
After returning to Japan, he continued to work for the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, retiring at the age of 59.
He continued to contribute to the local community by teaching pottery at pottery classes, and spent time writing his autobiography, posting his war experiences to newspapers until he was 109. He lived at home in Kumamoto City until 2023.
On 2 May 2024, he celebrated his 110th birthday and became a supercentenarian.
His age was verified by Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare, Japan, and validated by the GRG on 26 September 2024.
As of September 2025, he lives in a nursing home in Yamaga City, Kumamoto Prefecture. At the age of 111, he walks upright, feeds himself (he says it’s important to him to eat anything), and performs most daily activities on his own, including dressing, brushing his teeth, bathing, and using the toilet.
On 8 February 2026, following the death of 111-year-old Kiyotaka Mizuno (水野清隆) of Shizuoka Prefecture, the Kumamoto City government announced that he became the oldest living man in Japan.
Congratulations to Mr. Katō became the oldest living man in Japan! We bless him a good health and a long life!