South America’s Mercosur trade bloc looks to begin economic partnership talks with Japan as soon as November, Brazil’s foreign minister said Friday, calling trade with Asia essential to regional economic health as the U.S. embraces protectionism.

TOKYO — Foreign Minister Taro Kono said Friday he will embark on his first Latin American tour this weekend and attend a Group of 20 foreign chiefs’ meeting in Argentina.   The weeklong trip will also take Kono, who assumed the current post last year, to Brazil, Mexico and the United States. He will return home on May 26.  ….Read more

TOKYO — Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland will pay a two-day visit to Japan from Tuesday for a meeting with her Japanese counterpart Taro Kono, the Canadian government said.   The ministers are expected to discuss issues surrounding North Korea’s nuclear and missile development programs as well as cooperation in preparing for Group of Seven gatherings, it said on Wednesday.….Read more

TOKYO — Chilean President Michelle Bachelet will visit Japan this week, the Foreign Ministry said Monday, with a Pacific trade accord without the United States likely to be high on the agenda in her meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.   Bachelet is also scheduled to meet Emperor Akihito during her five-day visit starting Thursday, the ministry said.   Japan….Read more

Japan, Australia, and nine other nations have agreed on the official signing of the new TPP accord in March.

TOKYO — The Japanese government on Friday appointed Sadayuki Tsuchiya, a 64-year-old former vice education minister, as ambassador to Peru, effective Monday.   The government also named Tatsuhiro Shindo, the 59-year-old executive vice president of the Japan External Trade Organization, as ambassador to Uruguay.   Shinji Urabayashi, consul general in Hagatna, Guam, and Yasuhisa Suzuki, consul general in Leon, Mexico….Read more

While the TPP 11 reached a broad agreement on the trade pact without the U.S. at their ministerial meeting in November, they failed to hold a summit meeting due to Canada’s objection. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who lost face because of this, indicated “strong displeasure,” according to an aide. This has resulted in an unusual situation rendering the Diet’s ratification….Read more

The government plans to start next fiscal year a survey on fourth-generation and later Japanese descendants living in Central and South America, with the aim of finding talented young Japanese descendants who are interested in Japan and encouraging them to study or work in this country.   Many such descendants living in Central and South America have ancestors who emigrated….Read more

It was learned on Nov. 28 that Canada has proposed a ministerial meeting of the TPP 11 be held on the sidelines of the World Trade Organization (WTO) official ministerial conference to be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 10-13. Japan is strongly opposed to holding the ministerial out of concern that Canada may bring up pending issues again in….Read more