A farm ministry task force to tackle issues related to bilateral free-trade agreements met for the first time Friday.
Members of the group exchanged views on stalled FTA negotiations with Mexico and prepared for talks with Thailand, South Korea and Southeast Asian countries. The group, known as the "strategic headquarters," is headed by Yoshiyuki Kamei, minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
The ministry said getting the talks with Mexico back on track was high on its agenda, without elaborating. Both countries agreed last week to resume working-level negotiations later this month after failing to reach an agreement last month.
Japan has agreed with South Korea to start full FTA talks this year and hopes to clinch a similar accord at a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Japan in December.
Thailand, an ASEAN member, has separately voiced hope to launch negotiations with Japan.
The participants in Friday's meeting decided to form separate teams under the umbrella of the farm ministry's FTA headquarters, which will address issues specific to each negotiating partner, the ministry said.