Japan won’t necessarily wait for the Group of Seven Summit set to take place in Canada next week to seal a trade deal with the U.S. if the two sides can agree earlier, Japan’s top negotiator Ryosei Akazawa said in Washington, D.C. on Friday.

Trade discussions between Japan and the U.S. have “progressed” but have not yet reached a consensus on a deal to revisit sweeping U.S. tariffs, he said after the fifth round of trade talks that included U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The negotiations come a week before Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is set to depart for the G7 in what he said could be a “milestone” for the talks.

Akazawa did not signal that a deal was imminent but said an agreement will be reached as quickly as possible and emphas

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