Trade ministers from China, Japan and South Korea agreed on Sunday to make further efforts to reach a substantive agreement in the Trilateral Investment Agreement negotiation at an early date, according to joint statement.

China's Commerce Minister Chen Deming, Japan's Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Banri Kaieda and South Korea's Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon (L to R) attend a photocall before 8th Trilateral Economic & Trade Ministers' Meeting in Tokyo, capital of Japan, on April 24, 2011. Top trade officials of South Korea, China and Japan gathered for talks on Sunday. [Xinhua/Ji Chunpeng]

The document of the 8th Economic and Trade Ministers' Meeting among the three countries in Tokyo also called for accelerating a joint study, which involved government officials, business and academic participants, for a free trade agreement among the three countries.

The meeting was attended by Chinese commerce minister Chen Deming, South Korean Trade Minister Kim Jong-hoon, and Japanese Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Banri Kaieda.

Top trade officials of the three countries agreed that the maintenance and development of a free and open trade system will not only support the recovery of the disaster-hit region of Japan but also secure vigorous and sustainable growth of all three countries.

The Chinese commerce minister said at the gathering that China would continue to strengthen its cooperation and exchange with its two neighbors on economy and trade.