The leaders of Japan, China and South Korea agreed Sunday to reinforce the safety of nuclear energy and disaster management in the wake of the world's worst nuclear accident in a quarter century, DPA reported.
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak said strong cooperation would be necessary for Japan's rapid reconstruction from the earthquake and tsunami.
"Based on the recognition that trilateral cooperation will surely contribute to Japan's early recovery, we shared the importance of helping each other, especially at times of disaster and adversity," a joint statement said.
The March 11 disaster crippled the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which has leaked radioactive substances ever since.
The leaders pledged to work together to prevent another nuclear disaster.
The leaders also agreed to enhance joint programs on renewable energy and energy conservation to avoid undue reliance on nuclear energy.
They also expressed concern over North Korea's uranium-enrichment program and stressed the importance of inter-Korean dialogue, while Lee vowed to work toward denuclearization of the peninsula.
Wen agreed to ease China's restrictions on Japanese food imports, after Beijing banned imports from 12 prefectures on concerns about radiation contamination.
At the upcoming Group of Eight industrial nations this week, the Kan will announce Japan's new program to develop renewable energy, public broadcaster NHK reported Sunday.
The premier is to explain Japan's response to the nuclear crisis and its new energy policy at the meeting.
The cost of solar power generation would be slashed to one-third of the current level by 2020 and one-sixth by 2030, NHK reported. The government aims to see solar panels installed on virtually all rooftops, it said.
The plan also envisions the construction of large-scale offshore wind farms and the full-scale introduction of next-generation biomass fuels in the 2020s, NHK said.