Japan, China and South Korea have agreed to boost cooperation in ensuring a stable food supply after holding their first meeting of farm ministers in more than three years.
In a joint statement adopted during the two-day meeting in Tokyo that wrapped up Sunday, the three net importers of food items said: "We shared the view that sustainably increasing domestic production capacity is very important for our food security."
Touching on stalled negotiations on a trilateral free trade agreement in the farm sector, the three ministers said it is "indispensable for our agricultural development to accelerate" the FTA talks while "considering various concerns and interests of each country."