The Sapporo bid was put on hold in December due to the fallout in Japan from the Tokyo 2020 corruption scandal.

Public support had declined due to alleged bid-rigging for contracts linked to test events prior to the Games in the Japanese capital.

"Under the current circumstances, 2030 will be quite hard," Yamashita said, as reported by Kyodo News, as he began a third term at the JOC helm for another two years.

"The International Olympic Committee (IOC) highly regards Japan's ability to manage sporting events but attaches great importance to the approval rating of each host candidate.

"Trust in the Olympics is declining.

"It's necessary to have a legacy that takes root and makes people think in 10 years' time or 20 years' time, it was good to host the Tokyo Olympics."

Yamashita, an IOC member and Olympic judo gold medallist at Los Angeles 1984, had already suggested that Sapporo could delay its bid until the 2034 Games.

The IOC has said it would welcome a bid for either edition from the JOC.

Christophe Dubi, the Olympic Games executive director for the IOC, said this week that six countries were mulling over hosting a future Winter Olympics. 

Sapporo, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 1972, had been considered a front-runner for the 2030 Games.

However, following the bid being paused Sweden is now looking most likely to stage the Games.

A feasibility study launched in February by the Swedish Olympic Committee (SOK) produced favourable results to see if it had the capability and public support.

Earlier this month, the group in charge of the study proposed to the SOK Steering Committee that it moves to step two which involves "ongoing dialogue" with the IOC.