Japanese minister says all TPP countries now agree on trade pact

DANANG, Vietnam (Reuters) - Japanese Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said on Friday that countries including Canada had now agreed on a plan to move ahead with the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal, but Canadian officials did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

Motegi had said late on Thursday that all countries had agreed in principle to move ahead with the pact, but Canada later said that was not true.

Leaders of TPP countries met on Friday to discuss next steps, but Japan said the meeting was postponed after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did not join the other 10 leaders.

Asked if Canada had now agreed with Thursday's broad agreement in a later meeting of ministers on Friday, Motegi said, "It did. They said they had gained consent from the top leader."

TPP ministers will issue a statement on Saturday, Motegi told reporters.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by Matthew Tostevin)