BRUSSELS, March 21 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) and Japan sought to conclude their free trade talks "very soon," it was announced Tuesday.
"The European Union is fully committed to concluding the negotiations for both agreements very soon and together," said President of the European Council Donald Tusk, referring the EU-Japan Free Trade Agreement and the Strategic Partnership Agreement.
"I'm sure that we will achieve these two highly ambitious deals. They will strengthen our political and economic strategic partnership," Tusk said.
The pledge came out of press statements on Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit in Brussels.
The support rate for Abe's cabinet has tumbled recently over a school land deal scandal, according to various media surveys.
"Following discussions today, I am very confident this paves the way for a swift agreement on FTA this year," European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told reporters, adding that the negotiations with Japan are now in a "decisive and hopefully final" stage.
The EU and Japanese negotiators will meet for a new round in Tokyo in April, and the process will intensify further thereafter, the EU said in a statement.
Alongside the trade agreement, the EU and Japan are also negotiating a Strategic Partnership Agreement, which the leaders are expected to discuss and press ahead for a "swift conclusion".
"I look forward to continuing this close partnership with Prime Minister Abe at the upcoming G7 meeting in Taormina, and hopefully at the next EU-Japan Summit where we can successfully conclude our negotiations, " Juncker said.
The EU together with Japan accounts for more than a third of global gross domestic product (GDP), according to EU data.
The two sides officially launched their free trade negotiations on March 25, 2013 with the goal of lowering barriers to trade and investment on both sides.
