Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Luxembourg counterpart Xavier Bettel agreed in their talks to seek an early conclusion of a free trade agreement between Japan and the European Union, a senior Japanese official said.

Luxembourg currently holds the rotating presidency of the 28-nation EU, which is negotiating an economic partnership agreement with Japan. The comprehensive deal, once put into force, would cover about 30 percent of the world economy.

Abe also affirmed closer cooperation between Japan and the EU to reach agreement "as soon as possible" when he met Dutch Prime Minister Mark Ruttee on Nov. 10 in Tokyo. The Netherlands is assuming the EU presidency in the first half of 2016.