U.S. President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba talked over the phone on Friday ahead of trade negotiations between their countries.

According to Japan’s Kyodo News, Ishiba told reporters he told Trump that he hopes U.S.-Japan talks will be productive, saying Ryosei Akazawa, the minister in charge of the economic revitalization of Japan, has departed for the U.S. for the talks. 

Akazawa, who serves as Japan’s chief trade negotiator, left for Washington on Friday to attend the third round of Japan-U.S. trade negotiations, which is set for Saturday, Korea Standard Time. 

Kyodo News added that the two leaders said they look forward to mulling ways to hold a summit on the sidelines of the G7 Summit, slated to open in Canada next month.

Ishiba also told Trump that depending on the circumstances, he might visit the U.S. to sit down for talks with the U.S. president.

Ishiba then dismissed reports that Tokyo might accept the mere relaxation of U.S. tariffs, stressing that Tokyo will adhere to its stance of insisting that Washington eliminate its tariffs on Japanese goods.