Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is reportedly planning a historic visit to Darwin, more than 75 years after the country's forces bombed the city during World War II.

The visit in November would be the first by a Japanese leader to Darwin since the country's devastating air raids on the city, ABC reports.

About 235 people were killed and up to 400 were wounded when 188 Japanese planes attacked Northern Territory's capital in 1942.

Mr Abe will reportedly be greeted by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in Darwin before both leaders continue on to Papua New Guinea for the APEC summit.

Then-prime minister Malcolm Turnbull last year praised the reconciliation between the two countries at a memorial service commemorating the 75th anniversary of the Darwin attack.

During a visit to Tokyo earlier this year, he and Mr Abe discussed forging closer defence ties.