US asks Japan to join Pacific-rim trade talks, Nikkei ays
Bloomberg | 27 November 2009
U.S. Asks Japan to Join Pacific-Rim Trade Talks, Nikkei Says
By Fergus Maguire
Nov. 27 (Bloomberg) — The U.S. government wants Japan to join talks for a proposed free trade agreement involving Pacific Rim countries, Nikkei English News said, citing officials familiar with the matter.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk raised the issue with Japan Trade Minister Masayuki Naoshima at a meeting in Singapore on Nov. 11, the report said.
Australia, Vietnam, Peru, Malaysia, Singapore, Chile, New Zealand and Brunei have said they will enter the negotiations, the report said.
China is advocating its own regional alliance involving Japan, South Korea and Southeast Asian nations, the report said.
