Britain gets approval for next step to join trans-Pacific trade pact; Asean's Vietnam, S'pore, Brunei and Malaysia already in

TOKYO, Feb 18 (Reuters): Members of a trans-Pacific trade pact have agreed that Britain can proceed with its bid to join the group, Japan said on Friday, as it looks for new trading relationships after leaving the European Union.

Under the terms of the pact, known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), members Japan, Canada, Australia, Vietnam, New Zealand, Singapore, Mexico, Peru, Brunei, Chile and Malaysia remove 95% of tariffs between them.