Japanese trade dispute resolved

1 February 2002

China and Japan resolved their nine-monthlong trade dispute in December. The dispute began last April when Tokyo decided to impose temporary 'safeguard' quotas on Chinese leeks, shitake mushrooms and rushes used to make tatami mats. China took retaliatory measures in June. The two sides finally reached agreement in December on the day before temporary restrictions were due to be extended.

In January, according to China Daily, officials from China and Japan met to discuss the possibility of setting up a consultative body to help avoid future trade disputes. The panel is likely to cover a variety of issues, such as market demand and product quality, quantity and pricing. However, the newspaper said it could be months or years before the body was established