Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada has reportedly turned down a request made by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for Japan to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea.

Sources at the U.N. said Wednesday that Okada declined the request during a meeting between the two late last month. Okada reportedly said it would be hard to determine whether the aid would actually reach the North Korean people who need it most.

Ban was seeking assistance from Japan as the North’s food shortage situation is expected to become dire in June and July.