Japan has been advancing a series of trade talks recently to hammer out bilateral or regional free-trade agreements because it sees high-level economic partnerships as the key to revitalizing its stagnant economy.
While announcing last month its plan to join multilateral talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a U.S.-led free-trade initiative, this month Japan concluded a joint study with China and South Korea on the possibility of signing a tripartite free-trade accord and resumed FTA negotiations with Australia.
Japan is also looking to conclude preparatory talks with the European Union for a future FTA.