Japan's upcoming game against North Korea reportedly cancelled

Japan's second game in their World Cup qualification against North Korea is expected to be cancelled.

The two were set to face off in Pyongyang on Tuesday after having already played Japan today where Ao Tanaka's early goal was enough for the Samurai Blue to edge a nervy victory. It was another sub-par performance from Hajime Moriyasu's side.

But soon after Japan's win, the next game was abruptly put in doubt.

North Korea indicated it would no longer be able to host the fixture. According to Japanese outlet 47News, the reason was apparently out of fear of the spread of streptococcal infections which have soared in Japan in recent weeks. 

Excessive caution over the infections would track with North Korea's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with the country completely shutting its borders as the virus spread around the world but there is likely more to it than that considering the fraught history between the two countries.

While Tuesday's game has not yet officially been called off by FIFA it is now highly doubtful to go ahead.

"This morning we received word that a letter had been sent from North Korea to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)," the Japanese Football Association chairman Kozo Tajima said shortly after Japan's win earlier today.

"The North Korean Football Association has approached the Asian Football Confederation about changing the venue, and at this point no alternative venue has been decided, making this an emergency situation five days before the match."

The possibility of holding what would have been North Korea's 'home' game in Japan has been ruled out with the Korean players' visas to expire before that date. The North Korean team's presence in the country is an exception to Japan's rule of banning entry of North Korean citizens.

AFC officials had already travelled to Pyongyang to check the facilities and determined that the game would be able to go ahead. Although Japanese fans had already been told by its government to 'refrain from travelling to North Korea for any purpose' before the game party due to the 'hostile view' of Japan in the country.

This isn't the first time North Korea has cancelled a World Cup qualifier at home to Japan having done so previously in 2011.