Japan and Chile agreed to continue working to settle their differences on market access in goods, after wrapping up their latest round of talks Friday on a free-trade agreement, a Japanese official said.
In the meeting, the countries outlined their positions on "products of interest," the official said. Autos are a key export item for Japan in the talks, while Chile has a strong interest in agricultural exports.
The two sides also discussed details of a proposed agreement on services and investment, and the wording of the official FTA text, the official said.
According to trade ministry officials, Chile is an important supplier of minerals, including copper and molybdenum, to Japan. An FTA would help it ensure a source of such raw materials, they said.
In 2004, Chilean exports to Japan, mainly copper ore, salmon, trout and pork, totaled $3.7 billion, while imports from Japan, mostly autos and other manufactured goods, stood at $800 million.
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