(L-R) Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak shake hands at their joint news conference in Tokyo May 22, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

TOKYO - China, Japan and South Korea agreed to boost cooperation in disaster preparedness and nuclear power safety among other topics at a trilateral summit held here Sunday.

In a joint declaration issued after the summit between Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, the three Asian nations said they will deepen future-oriented, comprehensive cooperation, also as part of the efforts to help Japan recover from the earthquake disaster.

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They agreed to cooperate in disaster preparedness and ensuring nuclear power safety, while Japan promises to share with China, South Korea and the rest of the world lessons learned from the disaster-triggered crisis at a nuclear plant in Fukushima.

At the outset of the summit Sunday morning, the leaders expressed condolences to victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan by observing a minute of silence.

They also agreed in their talks to enhance nuclear safety, promote renewable energy and improving energy efficiency

The leaders also vowed to speed up the preparations for a free trade agreement and an investment treaty.

Trilateral summits between the three nations have been held annually since December 13, 2008, when Premier Wen joined his then Japanese counterpart Taro Aso and South Korean President Lee in discussions of trilateral cooperation, the global financial crisis and other issues of common concern in the Japanese city of Fukuoka.

The second summit, held on October 10, 2009, in Beijing, was chaired by Premier Wen and attended by then Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and South Korean President Lee and the meeting explored ways to deepen relationships between the three countries from a strategic perspective.

The third summit was convened in the South Korean resort island of Jeju on May 29-30, 2010. At the summit Premier Wen, South Korean President Lee and then Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama unveiled a blueprint for trilateral cooperation in economy, security, environmental protection, cultural exchange and other areas in the coming decade.