TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The 11 members of the Trans-Pacific Partnership decided Wednesday to start negotiations for Britain's entry into the regional free trade agreement, a Japanese minister said.

The members made the decision in a virtual meeting of the TPP Commission, the group's top decision-making body chaired by Japan this year, Yasutoshi Nishimura, Japan's minister in charge of TPP negotiations, told reporters.

Britain filed a request in February to join what is formally called the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, or CPTPP, the first accession application by a member outside the participating countries such as Japan, Australia, Canada and Singapore.

London's move followed its departure from the European Union last year. China, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand have also expressed interest in joining the free-trade bloc.

The TPP member countries and Britain are expected to set up task force groups within several months to discuss tariffs as well as trade and investment rules.

Nishimura told reporters that he will work "to achieve the best possible outcome for Japan" in Britain's TPP entry talks.

The trade agreement, which came into force in 2018, covers about 13% of global gross domestic product. Among the 11 member nations of Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, seven have so far ratified it.

The TPP is designed to cut tariffs on agricultural and industrial products, ease investment restrictions and enhance intellectual property protection, with the aim of enhancing economic integration among the participating countries.