Negotiators from Japan and the Philippines made "significant progress" in their latest round of talks on a proposed bilateral free-trade agreement, according to the Philippines' chief negotiator.

But while making headway on such issues as Filipino nurses and caregivers being allowed to work in Japan, the two sides have yet to iron out differences over the more thorny issue of market access for agricultural products from the Philippines.

Thomas Aquino, undersecretary for internal trade in the Department of Trade and Industry, told a news conference the outcome of the fifth round of talks that ended Friday "moves the negotiations to a more advanced stage that hopefully will pave the way for the closing of the deal."

The overall negotiations, he said, "have moved forward in all fronts."