Japan and South Korea have reached a historic deal to settle the issue of "comfort women" forced to work in Japanese brothels during World War Two, reports BBC.Japan offered an apology and will pay 1bn yen ($8.3m, £5.6m) to a South Korean-administered fund for victims.The issue has long strained ties, with South Korea demanding stronger apologies and compensation for victims.The agreement represents the first deal on the issue since 1965 and comes after both sides agreed to speed up talks.The announcement comes after Japan`s foreign minister Fumio Kishida arrived in Seoul for discussions with his counterpart Yun Byung-se.After the meeting Mr Kishida told reporters that Prime Minister Shinzo Abe offered a heartfelt apology."Abe, as the prime minister of Japan, offers from his heart an apology and reflection for everyone who suffered lots of pain and received scars that are difficult to heal physically and mentally," he said.