From 11 May 2013, Kimura was hospitalized for pneumonia and later blood-sugar problems and recovered temporarily, but his health continued to decline as his blood-sugar level, urine production and response declined, though until 2.08am the night of 12 June when Kimura died of natural causes aged 116 years, 54 days, as the youngest of only 7 verified people who had become at least 116 years old. He was succeeded as the oldest living person by Japanesewoman Misao Okawa, who already was the oldest living woman since Koto Okubo's death and 320 days younger, and as the oldest living man by Spanish-born Americanman Salustiano Sanchez, who was over 4 years younger.