Visiting U.S. Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta told his Japanese counterpart Wednesday that Washington wants a new bilateral agreement to increase American auto and auto parts exports to Japan, according to a Japanese official.

In a Tokyo meeting with Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma, Mineta stressed the need for a trade pact similar to the one concluded in 1995.

Mineta, who will be switching posts to become transportation secretary under the nascent George W. Bush administration, cited the difficulty facing U.S. manufacturers that want to penetrate the Japanese auto market and the growing trade imbalance in the sector between the two countries, the ministry official said.

In reply, Hiranuma said that such an agreement is no longer necessary because globalization in the auto industry is under way and procurement of auto parts via the Internet is spreading, the official said.

The 1995 bilateral auto and auto parts agreement expired at the end of 2000 as the positions of the two countries over the future of the pact remained apart.

Mineta expressed his willingness to continue discussions with Japan on the auto pact issue, while Hiranuma said that Japan is ready for further discussions with the United States at any time, the official said.

At the same time, Mineta and Hiranuma agreed that the two countries should further enhance the bilateral economic relationship in the future. Hiranuma asked for Mineta to support Japan's New Economy Initiative -- a round table of senior government officials and representatives from the private sector.

to discuss bilateral economic ties.

Mineta praised Hiranuma's leadership for making such a proposal, adding he will leave the matter to his successor under the new administration, the official said.

Whaling dispute regretted

Visiting U.S. Commerce Secretary Norman Mineta said Wednesday he regretted that Japan and the United States could not solve a dispute over Japan's scientific whaling last year, a Foreign Ministry official said.

He made the remarks during a Tokyo meeting with Seishiro Eto, state secretary for foreign affairs.

In opposing Japan's decision to expand its whaling program, Mineta in September recommended U.S. President Bill Clinton to impose sanctions against Japan. But Clinton decided in late December not to do so.

Eto said Japan wants to continue discussions over the issue "scientifically" and "calmly" at a series of bilateral experts' meetings set up in November, the official said.