Reports from Washington say that talks between the United States and Japan on trade in agricultural products have ended without agreement.

The Japanese news agency says Washington accuses Tokyo of failing to honour an APEC Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation agreement to lower tariffs in nine trade sectors, including fisheries, and forestry.

But the Japanese agriculture minister, Shoichi Nakagawa, defended Tokyo's position, saying that Japan is the world's largest importer of agricultural products from South East Asia.