Japan, U.S. report progress on trade talks, though Tokyo stands tough on rice

Japan and the United States reported progress in top-level trade talks on Sunday that could pave the way for a broader trans-Pacific trade deal, although Tokyo cautioned that a bilateral accord was unlikely in time for a summit next week. Japans Economy Minister Akira Amari and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman both said they had made good progress in the first of two days of cabinet-level discussions. We exchanged opinions about areas where Japan and the U.S. will cooperate in dealing with others in the multilateral talks, Amari told reporters. Access to Japans farm market and the U.S. car market remain obstacles to a bilateral deal between the two nations, vital to the success of a long-delayed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) pact. more