With the U.S. Congress formally granting President Barack Obama trade promotion authority, proponents of the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement in Japan are hoping at least the broad outlines of a bilateral deal for agriculture and auto parts may be worked out when negotiations resume in July.
But with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government losing popular support over its attempt to ram through controversial security bills, and distracted by inter-party squabbling over comments made by Abe allies last week against media outlets that do not toe the government line, any agreement still faces numerous political hurdles.
As details of the negotiations remain secret, nobody knows what the leaders of the 12 nations involved in the TPP negotiations will finally agree to and present to the public.
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