A Japanese daily says that the eldest son of North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who has reportedly been seen traveling in Macao, seems to have been denied entry into neighboring Hong Kong.

The Asahi Shimbun said a man spotted in the former Portuguese colony late last month has been confirmed as Kim Jong-nam through multiple diplomatic sources.

The report said that the junior Kim opened an account at a Hong Kong bank in 2005, but the bank recently asked him to explain why he has made no transactions since.

Kim was then said to have obtained a Hong Kong visa and reserved a hotel in the city two weeks ago but was denied entry just before he was about to leave Macao.

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post earlier said the 35-year-old Kim has been living at a posh Macao hotel, from which he checked out on Wednesday after reports came out of his residence there.

Kim Jong-il has three sons, including Jong-nam, from two women.