Couple married for 80 years sets record

More than 80 years of marriage has helped a Japanese couple become the new record holders for the oldest living married couple.

Masao Matsumoto (born 9 July 1910) married Miyako Sonoda (born 24 November 1917) on October 20, 1937 and officially became the Oldest living married couple on July 25.

At this time, Masao happens to be aged 108 years and 16 days, while Mikayo is 100 years 243 days.

The couple now have five daughters (Etsuko, 77, Chizuyo, 75, Mitsue, 71, Emiko, 68, and Hiromi, 66), 13 grandchildren and are expecting their 25th great-grandchild in August.

Both born in Oita prefecture, Masao and Miyako were introduced to each other through an acquaintance.

The pair married off in 1937, but there was a chance that the marriage may not have taken place. With the intention to hold a wedding, Miyako and her family visited Masao's parents.

When they've arrived, however, Masao had not returned from another region in Japan, leaving Miyako disgruntled as the wedding had to be delayed.

Her soon-to-be husband had actually been paying off his brothers’ debt and had no money to return home. Had this marriage got called off because of this incident, then there would not have been a new Guinness World Record title.

Hardship hit the couple when Japan was involved in a series of wars. Despite being called up for military service three times, the family reunited in 1946 for post-war struggles for food and clothing.

Once their daughters had married and started their own families, Masao and Miyako were able to enjoy their married life in ways they had been unable to do previously, such as travelling around Japan and abroad together.