The U.S. auto industry says Japan should be excluded from Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks until the nation eases regulations on foreign carmakers’ access to the Japanese market.

U.S. congressional newspaper “The Hill” reported the American Automotive Policy Council called on Japan to open its auto market to foreign car makers before partaking in the TPP negotiations.

The council said the only way to measure how serious Japan is about opening the market is by seeing it ease its regulations.

The council’s members include big U.S. automakers such as Ford, GM and Chrysler.