MELBOURNE (REUTERS) - Australian Treasurer Joe Hockey on Tuesday said he was confident that a free trade deal with Japan would be struck soon, after talks that have been dragging on for almost six years.

Talks on the Australia-Japan Free Trade Agreement began in 2007 and aim to liberalise trade in goods, farm products and services.

There have been reports the Australian government was ready to settle the deal in April and have it signed in July when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to visit Canberra.