Japan and South Korea held their first vice ministerial talks on Wednesday since their leaders took power in 2012 with an eye on strained bilateral ties and regional issues.

The talks, which involved Japanese vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki and Cho Tae-yong, South Korea's first vice foreign minister, came after a meeting between the two counties' top diplomats in New York last week.

The talks were viewed as a move to pave way for a summit between Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye on the sidelines of the upcoming Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Beijing next month.

"The security environment surrounding the two countries has become increasingly uncertain and severe," Saiki was quoted as saying at the meeting, adding the two sides "would like to exchange views frankly from a broad perspective."

For his part, Cho urged Japan to have a correct view on history so as to stabilize Tokyo-Seoul ties. He said mutual understanding and trust would promote future-oriented relations between the two countries.

Japan's ties with South Korea are frayed due to territorial dispute and the "comfort women," or the wartime sex slaves, issue. The two countries' leaders have not met for a summit since 2012.