Imports of rush, or tatami straw, continued to surge in the week to Dec. 21 over a year before, but those of stone leeks and shiitake fell, according to government data released Wednesday. The drop was attributed to voluntary efforts by Chinese exporters.

Before Friday's settlement of the Japan-China trade row over the three farm products, rush imports had soared 2.62 times to 2,166 tons for the sixth consecutive weekly increase, the Finance Ministry said. Imports of leeks, however, dipped for the second straight week by 2 percent to 1,280 tons, while imports of shiitake were down for the fifth successive week by 23 percent to 1,470 tons, it said.

The latest trade data showed imports in the six weeks after the Nov. 8 end of Japan's temporary import curbs on the three products were up 18 percent for leeks over the same period last year to 8,853 tons, down 11 percent for shiitake to 9,409 tons, and up 2.16 times for rushes to 11,486 tons.

An agriculture ministry official said leek imports began to fall two weeks ago after a Chinese exporter group told members last month to refrain from boosting exports.

As Japan reiterated its request in the ministerial talks Friday that Beijing maintain and ensure the effectiveness of the Chinese group's export curbs on leeks and shiitake, imports of the two products are expected to remain stable, the official said.

Beijing showed understanding toward a Tokyo request that China maintain its export quotas on tatami straw.

On Friday, Japan and China struck a deal over their tit-for-tat trade row, allowing Tokyo to avoid full-fledged import curbs on the three farm products and Beijing to remove its retaliatory tariffs on Japanese industrial products.

The countries settled the dispute by agreeing to create a trade panel under which the two governments and private-sector groups will negotiate "appropriate" trade levels for the disputed farm products.

The bilateral trade dispute flared up in April when Japan slapped emergency "safeguard" import curbs on the three products on a 200-day temporary basis.

China retaliated in June by imposing 100 percent punitive tariffs on imports of Japanese motor vehicles, mobile phones and air conditioners.