THE world's oldest man has died at the age of 113 after living a stress-free life, his family revealed.

Masazo Nonaka, recognised by Guinness World Records in April, died at his home in Japan earlier today.

He passed away peacefully while sleeping in Ashoro, Hokkaido, revealed granddaughter Yuko Nonaka.

The supercentenarian, whose family has run a hot springs inn for four generations, was recognised last year as the world's oldest living man then aged 112 years and 259 days.

Nonaka was born on July 25, 1905, two years after the Wright Brothers celebrated the first power-driven flight and just months before Einstein published his theory of relativity.

FORTY YEARS OLD AT THE END OF WORLD WAR II
He was already 40 when America dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the end of the Second World War.

Nonaka grew up in a large family and succeeded his parents running the 106-year-old inn - now managed by Yuko.

She said her grandfather appeared to be fine until her elder sister noticed he was not breathing.

He was pronounced dead by his family doctor soon afterwards.

HIS LONGEVITY DOWN TO A STRESS-FREE LIFE
"He didn't have any health problem. ... He went peacefully and that's at least our consolation," she said.

Nonaka, who enjoyed eating sweets, used to regularly soak in the springs, and would move about in the inn in a wheelchair, wearing his trademark knit cap.

He spent his retirement watching sumo wrestling on TV, reading newspapers and eating sweets and cakes.

His family put his long life down to the fact he lived his life in a way that did not bring him stress.

He outlived all seven of his siblings, as well as his wife and three of their five children.

The world’s oldest living person celebrated her 116th birthday on January 2.

Kane Tanaka, who is also from Japan, took over the title of the world’s oldest person in July 2018.