Tokyo- Japan and the European Union, in final-stage free trade talks at ministerial and top negotiator levels, are searching for common ground on the handling of Japanese tariffs on cheese, the most contentious item, among other key agricultural products.

The negotiations on an envisaged Japan-EU economic partnership agreement may continue into the weekend, as the two sides are aiming for a broad agreement at a summit meeting scheduled in early July.

On Tuesday afternoon, Japanese farm minister Yuji Yamamoto held phone talks with European Commissioner for Agriculture Phil Hogan, while top negotiators from the two sides--Yoichi Suzuki and Mauro Petriccione--had a meeting in Tokyo as part of working-level negotiations that started in the Japanese capital in mid-June.

In negotiations on Japanese tariffs on key farm products, including pork and wood, the tug-of-war on cheese is especially intense. (Jiji Press)