Japan, US to steer Pacific trade talks to early conclusion

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addresses the OECD assembly on May 6, 2014 at the OECD headquarters in Paris, as part of the French stage of his six-nation European tour for trade and security talks. Japan and the United States will work toge
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe addresses the OECD assembly on May 6, 2014 at the OECD headquarters in Paris, as part of the French stage of his six-nation European tour for trade and security talks. Japan and the United States will work together to steer trade negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership towards a quick conclusion, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday. -- PHOTO: AFP

PARIS (REUTERS) - Japan and the United States will work together to steer trade negotiations for a Trans-Pacific Partnership towards a quick conclusion, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Tuesday.

Japan and the US began edging last month into a new phase of negotiations to create one of the world's biggest trade pacts.

Talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation bloc which would span 40 per cent of the world economy and extend from Asia to Latin America, have in the past been deadlocked as the US and Japan locked horns over farm and auto exports.

"Japan and the United States will act in cooperation to accelerate negotiations further towards the early conclusion of negotiations by the 12 participating countries as a whole," Abe said in an address at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris.

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