The Japanese government says that it has suspended poultry imports from North Korea following a report of a bird flu outbreak in the Stalinist country last month.

Japan's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said that although it has yet to confirm the accuracy of the report, Tokyo has decided to activate the import ban as a preventive measure.

The ministry added that it will send letters to Pyongyang authorities and to the International Animal Quarantine Bureau, which North Korea is a member to, in order to confirm the outbreak.

Earlier on Tuesday, North Korea denied the reported outbreak of bird flu in the Stalinist state.