Van Rompuy wants early start of Japan-EU FTA talks: Hatoyama
Mainichi News 31.05.2012
Van Rompuy wants early start of Japan-EU FTA talks: Hatoyama
BRUSSELS (Kyodo) — European Council President Herman Van Rompuy plans to visit Japan in July for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in the hope of declaring a start of negotiations for a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Wednesday.
Van Rompuy mentioned the plan when he met with a group of Japanese lawmakers led by Hatoyama, according to the former Japanese prime minister.
Japan and the European Union are currently holding preparatory talks to launch bilateral FTA negotiations.
Eager to wrap up the preparatory talks at an early date, Van Rompuy wishes to discuss the issue with Noda on the occasion of their participation at the Group of 20 summit to be held June 18 to 19 in the Mexican resort municipality of Los Cabos, said Hatoyama.
