North Korea's vice sports minister has reportedly canceled his plan to visit Japan this week to attend a 2020 Tokyo Olympics-related meeting.

Citing sources familiar with North Korea-Japan relations, Japan's public broadcaster NHK reported on Saturday that North Korean Vice Minister Won Kil-u and two officials had planned to visit Tokyo from Tuesday to Thursday, but withdrew their plan.

The North Korean officials originally planned to attend a meeting of countries that will participate in the Tokyo Olympics.

Japan has banned entrance of North Korean nationals in line with its unilateral sanctions against Pyongyang, but Tokyo planned to approve a visit by Won's delegation.

NHK reported that North Korea also notified Japan of its decision not to send its athletes to the World Judo Championships to be held in Tokyo starting next Sunday.

The reason for the decision was not known.