Seventy-five years after his nation's imperial forces bombed Darwin, Japan's Prime Minister will make a historic visit to the city to help cement modern day relations with Australia.

Shinzo Abe is scheduled to be welcomed to the Northern Territory by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in November, before both men fly to Port Moresby for the APEC meeting of regional leaders.

Japan's massive $34 billion INPEX gas pipeline project will be the focus of Mr Abe's visit, but closer military ties are also expected to be high on the agenda when the two leaders meet.

Mr Abe's is the first visit to Darwin by a Japanese leader since forces struck the key military port, killing more than 250 people across multiple bombings in 1942 and 1943.

The SS Neptuna explodes at Stokes Hill Wharf, during the Darwin attacks in 1942. ( Australian War Memorial )

Earlier this year Mr Abe and former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull agreed to work towards increased defence cooperation, including joint training exercises between both militaries.

The Royal Australian Air Force was this month due to begin Exercise "Bushido Guardian" with Japan's Air Self-Defence Force, but the activity was cancelled due to the earthquake in Hokkaido.

Shinzo Abe met with Malcolm Turnbull earlier this year to discuss joint military exercises. ( Reuters: Kim Kyung-Hoon )

Officials have told the ABC negotiations to bring Japanese forces to northern Australia for joint training exercises are "progressing well" but it is unclear whether a final announcement on timing can be made when Mr Abe is in Darwin.

Senior Defence and Government figures have told the ABC November's meeting in Darwin is likely to be closely watched in Beijing given China has already expressed concerns with the rotation of US marines through the Northern Territory.

Those involved in preparations for Mr Abe's historic two-day visit have also told the ABC the PM is scheduled to go to Darwin's cenotaph to pay official respects to Australian and Japanese war dead.

Dr Bec Strating from La Trobe University says it'll be an important visit for the new Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.

"Given the changing security dynamics across the Indo-Pacific region, it is incredibly important that Australia looks to regional partners such as Japan and consolidates and grows those relationships," she said.

Top end diplomatic tango: Japan and US compete for attention

In mid-November Australia's top end will be the stopover point for regional leaders straddling two major meetings, the East Asia Summit in Singapore and the APEC gathering in Port Moresby a few days later.

The ABC can reveal that during the brief period between the two summits, United States Vice-President Mike Pence will stay in Cairns, at the same time that Mr Morrison hosts his Japanese counterpart in Darwin.

Mr Pence, who met with Mr Turnbull during a visit to Sydney in 2017, is expected to fly into the APEC summit each day from northern Queensland rather than staying overnight in Port Moresby.

Preparations for the massive security and logistical operation to accommodate the Vice-President and his large entourage in north Queensland are well advanced, but it is still not clear which members of the Morrison Government will meet with him while he is in Australia.

The Australian government has so far declined to comment on the impending foreign visits.