Visiting Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra came up with a new approach Tuesday to get his country and Japan on the road toward a free-trade agreement.
In a meeting with trade minister Takeo Hiranuma, Thaksin proposed dividing goods and services into three categories based on their political sensitivity and to start any free-trade talks by dealing first with the least sensitive category.
That group would consist of goods and services that could immediately be included in a free-trade pact.