Japan's trade negotiator has said Washington won't be demanding any numerical restrictions on Japanese auto exports to the U.S.

Toshimitsu Motegi, the economy minister, made the comment Friday after he spoke with his U.S. counterpart, Robert Lighthizer.

Earlier, media reports said this was a possibility. Autos are a big issue in trade talks between the two countries that began after President Donald Trump pulled out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade bloc. Japan is part of the TPP and has a trade deal with the European Union.

Japan's trade surplus with the U.S. has long been a sticking point in bilateral relations. The threat of a cap on exports to the U.S. has rattled Japanese exporters.

Trump is set to visit Japan later this month.