The centenarian, who lives in the city of Miyakonojo in Miyazaki prefecture, in South Japan said he was not ready to die yet and would like to live forever.
Tanabe, who entered in the Guinness book of records in June, feels fine. He walks around his house on his own, and only asks relatives for help when he needs to take a Japanese bath.
The world's oldest man keeps a daily diary, reads newspapers, drinks a glass of milk a day and stays away from alcohol and smoking, as opposed to Zhang Shu-qing, a Chinese centenarian who contributes his longevity to smoking every day and drinking liquor after every meal.
Tanabe, who has eight children, 25 grandchildren and 54 great-grandchildren, assumed the title of the world's oldest man following the death of 115-year-old Puerto-Rican Emiliano Mercado del Toro on January 24, 2007.
The number of Japanese people living beyond 100 has almost quadrupled in the past 10 years, reaching 32,000 this year. The oldest person in Japan is now Tsuneyo Toyonaga, who is 113 years old. Experts often attribute their longevity to a Japanese diet rich in vegetables and fish.
