21.   During auto talks in June, his ministry successfully resisted U.S. demands to loosen inspection rules that American officials say act as barriers to U.S. auto parts.

22.   Early trading on the foreign exchange market remained slow as traders awaited developments in the troubled Japan-U.S. auto trade talks in Geneva.

23.   Fisher called on South Korea to resume auto trade talks with Washington next month.

24.   Garten sidestepped a question on whether the United States will use the stronger yen to pressure Japan in the auto talks, which are expected to resume this month.

25.   Hashimoto told an upper house Budget Committee session later Friday that the U.S. demand was the reason the auto trade talks broke down.

26.   Hashimoto occupied the world spotlight earlier this year when he took a hard-line stand in auto trade talks with the United States.

27.   Hashimoto said Japan would be willing to resume auto talks, which broke off last week, if the United States dropped demands for numerical measures of market openness.

28.   Hashimoto said Japan would be willing to resume auto talks, which broke off last week, if the United States drops demands for numerical measures of market openness.

29.   He announced another round in that effort would occur Monday with the resumption of contentious auto talks with Japan.

30.   Hashimoto is well-known for his hawkish stance against American demands in auto talks.