AlQa'dah 23, 1435, Sep 18, 2014, SPA -- The United States Thursday urged Japan to increase its efforts on a Pacific trade pact ahead of a new round of negotiations in October. There is a standoff between the United States and Japan – the two largest economies in the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) – over access to farm and auto markets. The dispute has been blamed for slow progress in finishing the deal. U.S. President Barack Obama has set a goal for having the outlines of an agreement by mid-November, putting pressure on negotiators. U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman said Thursday that the next round of talks would take place in Chevy Chase, Maryland, from September 29 to October 3. Japanese Economy Minister Akira Amari will visit Washington next week to meet with Froman. The USTR said that Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had laid out a bold vision of how the TPP could assist in transforming Japan's economy by opening markets and supporting competition, but words must translate to action. "We are now at a critical juncture in this negotiation, and we are working hard and well with Japan to achieve our shared objectives," Froman said at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. "Now is the time for that bold vision to be translated into concrete progress at the negotiating table." Japan seeks to shield rice, wheat, dairy, sugar, beef, and pork products from foreign competition, while the United States wants to protect U.S. carmakers from increased Japanese competition and end hurdles to selling American vehicles in Japan.
