The first joint study meeting on a free trade agreement (FTA) among Japan, China, and Korea was held May 6-7 in Seoul, Korea; the results of the meeting are as follows.

1.  The first joint study meeting on an FTA among China, Japan and Korea was held from May 6 (Thursday) to May 7 (Friday), in Seoul, Korea.
2. Relevant individuals from government, industry, and academia attended from Japan, including Mr. Hiroyuki Ishige, Vice Minister for International Affairs of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Mr. Yoichi Otabe, Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They were joined by Mr. Xiaozhun Yi, Vice Minister of Commerce of the Ministry of Commerce of China, and Mr. Hye Min Lee, Deputy Minister for Trade of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Korea.
3. At this meeting, participants exchanged opinions on topics such as their FTA policies, trade and economic relations among the three countries, based on research jointly conducted by experts from the public.

Reference material: Background of the meeting

• At the Second Japan-China-Republic of Korea (ROK) Trilateral Summit Meeting, which took place in Beijing, China, in October 2009, the three countries reached a consensus that they would start a joint study program involving government, business, and academia. At the Japan-China-ROK Trilateral Economic & Trade Ministers’ Meeting, held in the same month in Hua Hin, Thailand, it was agreed that the first joint study meeting should be held in the first half of 2010.
• A trilateral preparatory meeting at the director-general level took place in January 2010.

May 7, 2010

Northeast Asia Division, Trade Policy Bureau