Japan hopes US will return to TPP, but overhauling the pact now is difficult

Tokyo

JAPAN said that it welcomes a positive stance by the US towards an Asia-Pacific trade pact, but indicated that altering the agreement at this point would be very difficult.

Japan's chief negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), Kazuyoshi Umemoto, told Reuters that an agreement among the remaining 11 member nations, set to be signed next month, may have had an impact on the US. "We have been working, motivated by hopes that the United States would return to the trade pact soon. We welcome it becoming positive towards the TPP," Mr Umemoto said on Tuesday.