The government will provide additional support to farmers and small businesses as needed to quell concerns stemming from an expected Japan-U.S. trade deal, Japan¡¯s recently appointed economic revitalization minister said Thursday.

¡°As far as I understand, the negotiation (between Japan and the U.S.) is in the final stages, to be signed at the end of the month,¡± Yasutoshi Nishimura said during a group interview with media outlets including The Japan Times. ¡°We¡¯ll make decisions including whether to take specific measures after seeing the outcome.¡±

Nishimura, who is in charge of economic and fiscal policy, said the government has introduced a variety of measures to protect Japanese farmers from the effects of major trade deals in the past.