Leaders of the three countries met in Tokyo to discuss Japan's handling of world's worst atomic crisis since Chernobyl 25 years ago.

They also said they would aim this year to finish research into a wide-ranging free trade deal between the three nations.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao announced the lifting of restrictions on some food imports from Japan a day after the three leaders dined together on cherries harvested near the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant.

"These three countries are very close neighbours. We can overcome difficulties by joining hands," Wen said as the summit opened.

Beijing and Seoul have been worried by radiation leaks from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant triggered by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami and the impact on food safety across the region.

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan thanked Wen and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak "for demonstrating the safety of Japan and Japanese food in the most effective manner".

Wen, along with Lee, arrived in northeastern Japan Saturday in a show of support as the first foreign leaders to visit Fukushima prefecture since the monster tsunami ravaged a nuclear plant on the coast.

The three Asian leaders together ate Fukushima-harvested cherries and cucumbers and visited a shelter for displaced residents 60 kilometres (37 miles) from the plant on Saturday, a day before the summit.

On Sunday the nations pledged to work together to promote cooperation among nuclear safety experts and in disaster preparedness at the summit where food safety and trade issues topped the agenda.

A joint summit declaration said: "We expressed our determination to bolster Japan's efforts to overcome this difficult situation through trilateral cooperation in various areas."

"Japan is committed to sharing with China, the Republic of Korea and the international community at large the lessons learned from the nuclear accident and the earthquake," it also said.

Japan's two Asian neighbours had voiced their displeasure to Tokyo after authorities released a massive amount of radioactive water from the crippled nuclear plant into the sea.

But Wen told Kan that Beijing would lift bans on food imports from two of the 12 Japanese prefectures on which China had imposed restrictions, while not requiring radiation inspections on products other than vegetables, seafood and milk products, a Japanese official said.

Wen also promised Kan that Beijing would encourage Chinese people to travel to the country.

The meeting came as Japan and China looked to deepen ties damaged by a tense territorial row that broke out between the two Asian giants in September last year over a maritime collision in the East China Sea.

Both countries claim the potentially resource-rich islets, known as the Diaoyus in China and Senkakus in Japan, along with the nearby seas.

At a news briefing, Kan said he also expressed concerns during the summit about North Korea's uranium enrichment.

The three leaders agreed on the importance for North Korea to show sincerity before six-country talks on its nuclear programme can resume and agreed to press North Korea to take appropriate action, Kan said.

The three-nation meeting was first held on a regular basis in 2008.

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