Tokyo, Sept. 2 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Emeritus Akihito on Thursday became the oldest person who has served as the country’s emperor on records dating back to the eighth century.

Born on Dec. 23, 1933, the former Emperor is 87 years and eight months old now. Thursday marked the 32,031st day since his birth. His father, Emperor Hirohito, who was posthumously known as Emperor Showa, lived the same number of days.

Emperor Emeritus Akihito currently lives a quiet life with Empress Emerita Michiko at the provisional Sento Palace in Tokyo and is expressing concern about the situation of novel coronavirus infections, according to his aides.

He takes a walk as a daily routine and has been continuing his research on goby fish, the aides said. In May, his first paper on goby fish since his abdication in 2019 was published in an academic journal.

The Emperor Emeritus, who passed the throne to his eldest son, now Emperor Naruhito, at the age of 85, is also the oldest retired emperor in Japan’s history. The previous record holder was Emperor Gomizunoo (1596-1680).