Japan and China failed to reach a breakthrough at vice-ministerial talks Wednesday on the trade row stemming from Japanese import curbs on three farm products, but agreed to resume talks.
While the Foreign Ministry said China made a new proposal toward a resolution and the two sides could have common ground on some points, an official of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry declined to comment on the contents of that proposal.
Wednesday's meeting was a last-ditch attempt to beat the Dec. 21 deadline for Japan's decision to implement full-scale import curbs. The curbs would be imposed on the three products -- stone leeks, shiitake and tatami straw -- all mainly from China.