Japan's Abe plots warmer ties with S. Korea ahead of summit

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicated Sunday that he wanted Tokyo and Seoul to put wartime enmities behind them ahead of his first meeting with South Korean President Park Geun-Hye.

Relations between the two countries are at their lowest ebb in years, mired in emotive issues linked to Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule and a territorial dispute, as well as Japan's use of "comfort women" in wartime brothels.

Abe left Tokyo's Haneda airport for a three-day visit to the Netherlands to attend a Nuclear Security Summit starting on Monday in The Hague.

On the sidelines of the event he is due to meet with Park and US President Barack Obama after Washington urged the two Asian neighbours to mend strained ties.

"It is going to be my first talk with President Park Geun-Hye and I want to make it the first step to build a future-oriented Japan-South Korea relationship," Abe said before leaving.

The three-way meeting -- designed to discuss North Korean threats -- is considered a diplomatic breakthrough as Abe and Park have never held a formal summit.

Abe also said he wanted to "exchange views frankly on security in East Asia" with the South Korean and US leaders.  

The Japanese prime minister will also take part in a meeting of Group of seven leaders in The Hague to discuss the Crimean crisis.

Japanese media have reported that Abe will announce nearly $1 billion in economic assistance to Ukraine.

South Korea's Park is also expected to hold a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, reportedly to discuss issues including curbing North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

Park and Xi will meet Sunday evening on the sidelines of the nuclear meeting, Park's spokesman told reporters.

China is Pyongyang's sole major ally and economic lifeline and is seen as a key player in resolving the nuclear stand-off with the North. (AFP)