Japan and the European Union will issue a special joint statement next week calling for a new round of global trade liberalization negotiations to be launched as soon as possible, government sources said.
The sources said Wednesday that the joint statement, exclusively focusing on a new round under the sponsorship of the World Trade Organization, will be issued at a regular ministerial meeting Tuesday between Japan and the 15-nation EU in Brussels.
International Trade and Industry Minister Takashi Fukaya, Foreign Minister Yohei Kono and Agriculture Minister Tokuichiro Tamazawa will attend the meeting.