Japan, Canada kick off 5th round of free trade talks

27/03/2014 12:00 - 451 Views

TOKYO, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Japan and Canada kicked off their 5th round of free trade talks here on Monday, with trade in energy and intellectual property rights in focus, according to local media.

Elimination of tariffs on agricultural products is not expected to be touched in the five-day talks, Japan's Kyodo News quoted a Foreign Ministry official as saying, adding the issue was covered in the ongoing Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks which involved the two countries.

Japan and Canada held first round of free trade negotiations in November 2012 in Tokyo and the last session was held in Ottawa in November 2013.

Japan mainly exports cars, machinery and other industrial products to Canada which sells natural resources and farm products such as soybeans, beef and pork to Japan.

Source: Xinhua