Fierce criticism has been pointed towards the private Kasumigaseki Country Club, which does not allow women to become full members and also limits the days they can play there, over the rules, with some calling for the venue in Saitama prefecture to be switched to alternative locations like the Wakasu Golf Links.

The Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee have also written to the club’s Board of Directors urging them to make changes as it does not sit in line with the Olympic Charter.

Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo, has also criticised the rules.

Club members were due to take a vote last week on whether they would change current regulations, but a Board meeting postponed a decision on the matter.

Japanese national broadcaster NHK claims the club’s policy was not included in explanatory material when the International Golf Federation (IGF) approved its selection as host venue for the tournament in 2012.

According to NHK, a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's Bid Committee warned the club that its policy could bring about problems for violating the Olympic Charter's rules on equality, and was told things would be fixed.

Assuming the issue was resolved, the Bid Committee member reportedly chose not to mention the policy in documents prepared in English.

A Kasumigaseki Country Club official confirmed to NHK that the club had been warned, but said it had replied: "If this becomes a problem, we will have a mutual discussion at that time.

"We did not say we would fix things."

Tokyo 2020 spokesperson Hikariko Ono said the Organising Committee did not know of any communications between the Bid Committee and other parties during the bidding process.

"If the media reports are correct, we believe the Tokyo Metropolitan Government should explain clearly to Kasumigaseki Country Club what actually transpired at the time," he was reported as saying by Reuters.

"Kasumigaseki Country Club is aware of the IOC's (International Olympic Committee’s) request to change its membership policy and is holding internal discussions.

"The Organising Committee will continue to monitor developments carefully.

It is believed some of the Board said at last week’s meeting they needed to allow women to become full members.

However, others felt more club members needed to be asked before making any alterations.

Board chairman Kiichi Kimura told reporters after the meeting that the matter has become frustrating.

A unanimous vote of the 15 Board members is required for changes to be made.

Other golf courses around the world have come under fire for their female memberships rules.

Muirfield in Scotland were told by the Royal and Ancient in May of last year that the course would not be considered as a future Open Championship host until they admitted women as members.

In 2012, Augusta National Golf Club, the venue for the Masters, welcomed their first female members 79 years after opening.