TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan wants to reach broad agreement with the United Kingdom on trade talks this week, to ensure it can seal a pact under Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, a Japanese government official said, signalling Tokyo’s desire for progress in the talks before a looming change in government.
Japan’s ruling party will choose a new leader next week to take over from Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who has decided to step down for health reasons. His successor will become the next premier and form a new cabinet.
The political changes, which could lead to a new foreign minister succeeding incumbent Toshimitsu Motegi, heighten the need for the two countries to speed up trade talks, the official said.
“We want to reach a broad agreement on trade talks with Britain this week under Foreign Minister Motegi,” the official said, a view echoed by another government official.
“Otherwise, a trade pact between Japan and Britain may not come into force January 1 next year considering Japan’s political situation,” the first official said.
Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Britain, which left the European Union in January, is seeking to clinch a trade agreement with Japan based on the 2019 EU-Japan agreement by the end of the year, when Britain’s no-change transition arrangement with the EU will expire.
(Reporting by Kaori Kaneko, Editing by Leika Kihara and Dave Dolan)
