Japan flags support for Pacific free trade zone

JAPAN has signalled its willingness to join Pacific nations, including Australia, in building a regional free trade zone that would be 40 per cent bigger than the 27-nation European Union.

The move has given talks for the so-called Trans Pacific Partnership a massive boost while pushing the free trade agenda of the Asia-Pacific region economic forum, whose 21 leaders were arriving in Honolulu yesterday for a weekend of talks.   Read Here