Japanese and EU ministers will meet again for further talks on a proposed economic partnership agreement from Saturday morning, Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters Friday night.

"As the gap remains wide, we cannot be optimistic," Kishida, who leads Japan's negotiation team, said, explaining the atmosphere of the first day of the EPA meeting.

Meanwhile, agriculture minister Yuji Yamamoto said, "The negotiations have reached the final stage."

It is yet to be seen whether the two sides will be able to reach a broad accord on the envisaged EPA before Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and EU leaders hold a meeting in Brussels as early as Thursday.

For the ongoing ministerial meeting, currently scheduled to end on Saturday, EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem and Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development Phil Hogan are visiting Japan.

The two sides remain apart over a handful of issues, including import duties on such farm items as dairy products, pork and timber, automobile tariffs and government procurement rules, informed sources said. (Jiji Press)