The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Tokyo

Japan said Monday said it had struck free trade deals with Vietnam and Switzerland, seeking to strengthen economic ties with individual countries amid a deadlock in World Trade Organisation talks.

About 92 per cent of trade in goods between Japan and Vietnam will be duty-free within the next 10 years, Tokyo officials said.

Under the agreement with Switzerland, Japan's first with a European country, 99 per cent of trade will be tariff-free within a decade. Neither agreement has been formally signed yet.

'Vietnam gave us a high level of liberalisation that it had never given to other countries such as China and South Korea' under their deals with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a foreign ministry official said.

Japan, Asia's largest economy, has also already signed a separate deal with the whole of ASEAN, which includes Vietnam.

Vietnam will get free access to the Japanese market for shrimps, durian, and okra, among other farm and marine products, while Japan will secure duty-free trade for its auto parts, steel and electronic goods, officials said.