Japan, China and South Korea agreed Wednesday in Tokyo to step up cooperation via a multilateral economic framework, including negotiations in future rounds of World Trade Organization talks.
In the first high-level economic dialogue between the three countries, Japan and South Korea welcomed China's December entry into the WTO, a Foreign Ministry official said.
The three countries exchanged views on major areas of WTO negotiations, including agriculture, antidumping, investment and the environment. They agreed to pay special attention to the voices of developing countries in future rounds, the official said.
Japan, represented by Sinichi Kitajima, director general of the Foreign Ministry's Economic Affairs Bureau, urged China and South Korea to strengthen measures against violation of intellectual property rights in WTO talks.
Representatives also exchanged views on how to strengthen their partnership at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and Asia-Europe Meeting, the official said.
The trilateral meeting was proposed by Japan last year in an effort to mend ties with the two East Asian neighbors, which soured over historical problems as well as a trade row with China and a fishing dispute with South Korea.