UK Trade Secretary to visit Japan for signing free trade agreement

UK Secretary of State for International Trade Elizabeth Truss is scheduled to travel to Japan next week to sign a bilateral free trade agreement between the two countries on behalf of London, Japanese broadcaster NHK reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the talks on the matter are in their final phase.

The signing of the agreement will reportedly take place on October 23. The Japanese parliament will then have until year-end to ratify it.

As the United Kingdom is due to cut the previous international trade arrangements after withdrawing from the European Union, the issue of negotiating barrier-free bilateral trade agreements with other countries has been a focus of London's international activities post-Brexit.

A framework agreement for this between the UK and Japan was reached in September. (/Sputnik)

( With inputs from ANI )