Leaders from the EU and Japan confirmed last week that they aim to reach an “agreement in principle” this year for a bilateral trade pact, following over three years of negotiations. The statement , issued jointly by Japanese and EU leaders, as well as those from France, Germany, Italy, and the UK, comes as the negotiations enter their fourth year. The EU and Japanese economies together account for over one-third of global GDP. In recent months, officials from both sides have stressed the importance a completed deal could have for growth and jobs, while also calling for the necessary “political will” to bring the negotiations across the finish line. However, whether a deal would be possible this year – or would drag on into the next – has been in question, given the pace of the talks to date. (See Bridges Weekly, 4 May 2016 ) “With our full backing, the negotiators are entrusted to make the efforts necessary in the coming months to move forward with the negotiations,” leaders said on 26 May after meeting in Ise-Shima, Japan. They added that the deal should include “all key issues including all types of tariffs and non-tariff measures,” calling for the...