Delaying the decision to take part in the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations by a day may have bought a little time, but experts said Friday there is no going back for Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda now that he has announced Japan will participate in the free-trade talks.

Already there are signs of trouble within his ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

"DPJ members will remain divided" over Noda's decision to join the TPP talks, political analyst Minoru Morita told The Japan Times.