Visiting U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday officially opened the door to a bilateral free trade agreement with Japan, saying formal negotiations on such a move are possible.
After Pence and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso held the first round of their high-level economic dialogue, Pence said: "Under President Trump's leadership, the United States seeks stronger and more balanced bilateral trade relationships with every country, including Japan.
"We seek trade that is free. We seek trade that is fair," he said at a news conference at the Prime Minister's Office. He added that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is "a thing in the past."