Japan and Singapore began a three-day meeting Wednesday in Tokyo hoping to clinch an accord on what would be Japan's first bilateral free trade agreement.
Chief Japanese negotiator Kazuo Asakai and top Singapore delegate Lim Chin Beng met for their fourth round of negotiations to finalize details of the Japan-Singapore Economic Agreement for a New Age Partnership.
The two sides are expected to strike a deal as working-level officials have managed to reach agreement on most of the issues that remained after the failure of negotiations last month in Singapore.
Wrapping up the talks this month is considered necessary if the pact is to be concluded by the end of this year, a goal set by the two nations' leaders last year.