Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called for a summit with South Korean President Park Geun-hye to improve relations soured by historical disputes between the two neighbors, Park's office said Friday.

Abe conveyed his offer to Park through Fukushiro Nukaga, a lawmaker who led a Japanese parliamentary delegation to South Korea.

In response, Park called for sincere efforts to ensure a possible summit can be successful through thorough preparations, saying bilateral ties worsened in the past following a summit, according to her office. (Yonhap)