The government plans to form a new cross-ministry unit to handle all free trade negotiations following the U.S. withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a source said Wednesday.
The new entity would handle continued dialogue over the now 11-nation TPP as well as an economic partnership agreement between Japan and the European Union, the source said.
Japan is also a party to negotiations on creating a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, an Asia-Pacific multilateral pact helmed by China.