Japan on Friday welcomed the U.S. Senate's passage of a legislative package giving the White House enhanced authority to negotiate new trade pacts.
"We understand the United States is now ready to deal actively with the review of rules and other agenda of the new round of negotiations in the World Trade Organization," Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Takeo Hiranuma said in a statement.
"We expect the U.S. will play a major role from now from the viewpoint of enhancing the world's free-trade regime."
In a separate statement, Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said Tokyo "hopes the U.S. will play an even more active role in the new round of global trade liberalization talks under the auspices of the WTO."
The "fast track" or trade promotion authority to be given for the first time in eight years empowers U.S. President George W. Bush to negotiate trade agreements that Congress can approve or reject, but not revise.
The Senate voted 64-34 to approve the trade package after the House of Representatives passed it by a 215-212 vote last Saturday.
The authority expired in 1994 and Congress had rejected several attempts by former U.S. President Bill Clinton to get it renewed.