Tokyo July 31 (IANS) The US and Japan will begin negotiations on August 9 to reach a bilateral trade agreement it was announced here on Tuesday.
The first round of talks due to be held in Washington will be led by Japan s Economic and Fiscal Policy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and the US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer Efe news reported.
Speaking at a press conference to announce the launch of negotiations Motegi said he wanted to have "constructive talks" for expanding free trade.
US President Donald Trump s administration has objected to Washington s large trade deficit with Tokyo which stood at $68.876 billion in 2017 in line with its trade policy with other countries and regions although the deficit is much lower now compared to a decade earlier.
In the past Japan has favoured regional trade treaties such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership -- from which the US withdrew in January 2017 -- more than bilateral trade deals.
The announcement of trade talks between the two countries came after Japanese authorities signed a wide-ranging free trade agreement with the EU on July 17 after years of negotiations.

--IANS soni/mr