The chief of South Korea's parliamentary committee for foreign affairs visited Japan Wednesday amid strained bilateral ties over their shared history.

The visit by Rep. Na Kyung-won of the ruling Saenuri Party comes as diplomatic friction between the neighboring countries has grown over the issue of compensation for Korean women who were forced into sexual slavery for Japanese soldiers during World War II.

Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula as a colony from 1910-45.

During her two-day visit, Na is scheduled to meet with Japanese government officials and politicians, including Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

A key topic of discussion is expected to be a statement Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is due to release in August to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II. Speculation is rife he will not include words of apology for Tokyo's past atrocities.

It is Na's first overseas trip since being elected chairwoman of the parliamentary committee for foreign affairs and unification in February. She is also a female leader of the South Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union. (Yonhap)