INTERNATIONAL
From Times Staff and Wire Reports
U.S., Japan Expand Scope of Trade Talks: The two nations agreed to include banking and other financial services in negotiations aimed at opening Japanese markets to more American goods. U.S. Trade Representative Mickey Kantor said the trading partners, at a Paris meeting of the 25-nation Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, also decided to talk about how to ensure protection of copyrights, patents and other intellectual property rights. The new discussion areas will be part of so-called framework talks aimed at improving U.S. access to Japan’s tightly controlled markets. The original areas, still under negotiation, are autos and auto parts, medical equipment, telecommunications products and insurance.
