WASHINGTON, April 24 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama's administration on Wednesday notified Congress it will start free-trade talks with Japan, after more than a year of consultations with Tokyo over joining U.S.-led negotiations on a regional free-trade pact.
"The participation of Japan, a major U.S. trading partner as well as close ally, further increases the economic significance of a TPP (Trans-Pacific Partnership) Agreement," acting U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis said in a letter to congressional leaders.
The 90-day notification was expected after U.S. and Japanese negotiators reached a deal on April 12 on the terms of Japan's entry into the TPP talks, which are now in their fourth year.
The United States and the 10 other countries already involved in the TPP talks on Saturday formally approved Japan's entry into the negotiations at a meeting of regional trade ministers in Indonesia.
The White House sees the TPP pact as part of its economic rebalancing toward Asia. It also plans to launch free-trade talks with the 27-nation European Union in coming months.
Countries around the world are moving increasingly toward regional free-trade agreements in the absence of any progress toward a comprehensive world trade deal.
Detroit-based auto makers, particularly Ford Motor Co, have lobbied against Japan joining the TPP talks.
They say the agreement will open the door for more imports from Japan, without tearing down barriers that they say keep U.S. autos out of Japan's market.