TOKYO (AFP): British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab and his Japanese counterpart agreed on Saturday (Feb 8) to seek an "ambitious, high standard" trade accord matching Japan's agreement with the EU. "In line with our commitment to free trade, we will work quickly to make the new partnership as ambitious, high standard and mutually beneficial as the Japan-EU EPA," the two ministers said in a joint statement. Their planned bilateral trade accord would "send a very powerful signal of our shared commitment to free, rules-based trade," Raab told reporters. Motegi said preparations were under way for formal negotiations on a Japan-Britain free trade partnership. Following Brexit, Britain is hoping to negotiate a new trade deal not just with Brussels but also the United States, Japan and other countries.

Source: The Star February 08, 2020 08:03 UTC