Japan's iconic cherry blossoms, which bring millions of tourists to the country each year, are under attack from a foreign species of beetle that experts fear could decimate trees across the nation.

The Environment Ministry has begun procedures to have the red-necked longhorn beetle, or Aromia bungii, designated as an invasive alien species and ban imports or domestic breeding of the creature.

The move has come too late for hundreds of cherished cherry trees across the country, however, after beetles were imported into Japan in cargoes of lumber from China, Vietnam and other parts of south-east Asia, the Yomiuri newspaper reported.

Beetles were first identified in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, in 2012. Since then, hundreds more trees have been felled in Tokyo as well as the prefectures of Saitama, Gunma, Tokushma, Tochigi and Osaka.