BADEN BADEN, Germany (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday no G20 member was against free trade, despite the communique’s language that omitted reference to the group’s past pledge to resist all forms of protectionism.

“I told the G20 that many countries have enjoyed economic prosperity from free trade, particularly post-war Japan and Germany,” Aso said in a news conference after the Group of 20 finance leaders’ gathering.

“No one at the meeting remarked that they were against free trade,” he added.