U.S. President Barack Obama last month made a specific request that Japan rethink a measure established to support pig farmers who will face stiff price competition under the recently sealed Pacific free trade pact, sources have said.

Obama called on Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during their talks on Nov. 19 in Manila to rethink the plan aimed at helping pig farmers by compensating 90 percent of losses they may incur due to tougher competition with cost-competitive imports under the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, the sources said. Under the scheme the rate of restitution increases from the current 80 percent.

Abe declined to make a clear response to the president's request concerning the policy adopted by the Japanese government late last month, sources said Tuesday.