Japan, U.S. agree on Tokyo joining Trans-Pacific t

By Kaori Kaneko and Doug Palmer TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Japan and the United States on Friday agreed on a deal paving the way for Tokyo to join talks on an Asia-Pacific free trade agreement, increasing the economic weight of the proposed pact and triggering a loud protest from U.S. automakers. The deal brings Japan closer to entering talks on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Australia and New Zealand hope to finish this year. "I think Japan's national interests are protected under this U.S. ...