BURNISHING THE LEGACY:

Early Tuesday in Tokyo, U.S. and Japanese negotiators concluded a marathon session and said they had significantly closed the remaining gaps between the two sides, a critical step for the broader TPP group to reach an agreement.

"It would be good if I could reach an agreement during my meeting with the president, but when you climb a mountain, the last step is always the hardest," Mr. Abe said as the talks were under way. "Ultimately, what needs to happen is for both countries to make a political decision" to address these sensitive areas.

Japan's chief negotiator, Akira Amari, said Tuesday that rice and autos were "major challenges," but he said the talks were in the "final stage."

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