The world’s oldest man has died at the age of 112 at a hospital in central Japan, a local official has said.

Yasutaro Koide was officially crowned the oldest man on the planet by Guinness World Records in August 2015.

The super-centenarian died of heart failure and pneumonia, the official added, two months short of his 113rd birthday.

He died in hospital in the central Japanese city of Nagoya, where he had lived for the last six years, the city official added.

Mr Koide was born on March 13, 1903, the year that the Wright Brothers created the first ever successful plane and the year the debut Tour de France cycling race took place.

He was named the oldest person living (male) by Guinness World Records at the impressive age of 112 years and 161 days. American Susannah Mushatt Jones is the world's oldest person at the age of 116.

The world record holder claimed the secret to a long life was to avoid drinking and smoking, adding: “The best thing to do is avoid overwork and live with joy.”

Mr Koide worked as a tailor in Fukui prefecture, northwest of Tokyo, and moved to Nagoya when he was 107 to be closer to his daughter.

Life expectancy in Japan is among the highest in the world, with around a quarter of its population of 127 million aged 65 or older.

It was not immediately clear who will succeed Koide as the world's oldest male.

Ms Jones, the world's oldest person, was born on July 6, 1899. She is one of only two people left alive who were born in the 1800s

She puts her longevity down to eating bacon and eggs every morning for over a century.

Britain's oldest person, Gladys Hooper, celebrated her 113th birthday this week with a slice of cake and a cup of tea.

- I don't feel very different to when I was 75 - she said.

Her son, Derek Hermiston, 85, said: “I am very proud of her, I have known her for quite a long time and I have seen her life when she was young, when she was a very agile person and always the centre of parties.

“She was a great pianist, I remember going to the Dorchester Hotel in London a few times where she was playing.”