U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman urged Japan on Thursday to ramp up efforts on a Pacific trade pact ahead of planned talks with his Japanese counterpart next week and a new round of negotiations in October.
A standoff between the United States and Japan, the two biggest economies in the 12-country Trans-Pacific Partnership, over access to farm and auto markets has been blamed for slow progress in clinching the trade deal.
But U.S. President Barack Obama has set mid-November as a goal for having the outlines of an agreement, putting pressure on negotiators.