Japan and Chile began two days of negotiations Thursday in Tokyo aimed at concluding a bilateral free-trade agreement by the end of the year.
Japan is represented in the first round of talks by Seiichi Kondo, ambassador in charge of international trade and economy. The Chilean team is led by Carlos Furche, the Foreign Ministry's vice minister for trade.
Kondo said in opening remarks the two countries "have the potential for drawing more benefits" from each other through the negotiations, citing Chile's importance to Japan in terms of "very crucial natural resources," including copper.