US readies for more \\\'extremely tough\\\' trade talks with Japan

RICHMOND, Virginia, Mar 8: The United States is finding talks with Japan on opening its agricultural market "extremely tough", a senior US trade official said on Friday, as the two countries prepared for another round of bilateral negotiations. Japanese officials will visit Washington next week in a bid to break a deadlock over tariffs on farm and industrial products, which is drawing out plans to conclude a wider free trade agreement among 12 Pacific Rim nations, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The United States had hoped to wrap up the deal last year, but ministerial-level talks in Singapore last month ended with many issues still on the table, most notably Japan's protection of its farm sector.     — Reuters