The Lower House on Friday passed a bill to ratify the remodeled Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade pact, paving the way for its enactment before the current Diet session ends in June.

Japan and the other 10 countries party to the agreement hope to see the pact — which was renegotiated and renamed the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership after the U.S. withdrew last year — take effect by the end of the year. The agreement will enter into force 60 days after at least six countries conclude domestic ratification procedures. Mexico has already completed them.

In Japan a ratification bill is automatically enacted 30 days after it has been sent to the Upper House. Friday's approval by the House of Representatives sets the stage for its enactment by the end of the current regular Diet session on June 20. But before Japan implements the pact, the Diet also needs to pass legislation to protect domestic farmers and intellectual property rights.