Japan's prime minister says he will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un face-to-face and restore diplomatic relations between the two long-time foes.

In a major policy speech to mark the opening of parliament on Monday, Shinzo Abe also vowed to push Japan-China ties "to a new stage" and pledged a record budget to improve crumbling infrastructure in the world's third-biggest economy.

Abe has long sought to resolve an emotional dispute related to North Korean agents' abduction of Japanese nationals during the Cold War era to train Pyongyang's spies.

"I will act resolutely, never failing to seize every opportunity to break the shell of mutual distrust, and I myself will directly face Chairman Kim Jong Un ... to resolve North Korea's nuclear and missile issues, as well as the abductions issue," he said.