WASHINGTON: U.S. and Japanese trade negotiators will meet this week and next for further talks over farm tariffs and auto exports in the lead-up to President Barack Obama's planned trip to Asia.

The U.S. trade representative said Japanese deputy chief negotiator Hiroshi Oe would visit Washington on March 27-28 for another round of talks on market access, the fourth round of bilateral meetings in a little over a month.

They will be followed by separate talks on motor vehicle trade on March 31 and April 1, as the United States and Japan attempt to break an impasse over sensitive issues that is holding up completion of the Trans-Pacific Partnership among 12 Pacific Rim nations.

The United States wants Japan to open up its rice, wheat, beef and pork, dairy and sugar sectors while Japan is keen for a timetable on U.S. promises to drop tariffs of 2.5 percent on imports of passenger cars and 25 percent on light trucks.

Obama is scheduled to be in Tokyo on April 22-23 for talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.