The Japan Football Federation does not want to send its national team to Pyongyang for a World Cup qualifier because of the bird flu outbreak there.

The daily Sports Nippon on Thursday said the federation will soon ask FIFA, soccer's world governing body, to move the June 8th match to a third country.

Federation president Kawabuchi Saburo said the North can still receive revenue from the match even if it is moved, stressing safety as the main issue.

The federation had earlier asked for a change in venue, citing player safety concerns following fan violence at a Pyongyang stadium after North Korea lost to Iran last month.