Japan hopes to reach agreements in upcoming TPP talks

Japan said Friday it hopes to reach broad agreements in an upcoming meeting of the U.S.-led Trans- Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade talks that is to be held in Singapore next week, according to local media. Akira Amari, Japan's minister in charge of the TPP talks, said here that he will hold bilateral talks with U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman Saturday in Washington to discuss the deadlock issues between the two major economies involving in the free trade negotiations, Japan's Kyodo News said. Amari was quoted as reporting that whether Japan and the United States can reach an agreement on remaining issues is a key to reaching a broad agreement at the Feb. 22-25 ministerial conference of all 12 TPP member countries. The two countries have been at odds over tariffs on farm products that Japan sees as its key items. The TPP's aim of eliminating all tariffs triggers Japanese farmers' strong concern that an influx of inexpensive foreign products would hurt domestic agriculture.