Japan and the U.S. remained apart over a trans-Pacific trade pact as they wrapped up talks Friday, diminishing prospects for achieving major progress before a visit by President Barack Obama to Tokyo that is only weeks away.
"I cannot help saying that the gaps are still fairly big," Hiroshi Oe, Japan's deputy chief negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, said after two days of talks in Washington with his U.S. counterpart, acting Deputy Trade Representative Wendy Cutler. He said the two sides have yet to even arrive at any consensus on issues for Abe and Obama to make final decisions on.