Japan is considering accepting many of the compromise proposals having been put on the negotiation table at the World Trade Organization for a free trade accord, trade sources said.

Japan is finding it difficult to rebuff the proposed target of 4 percent each rich country is allowed to designate as sensitive farm products to shield them from steep tariff cuts, the sources said Sunday.

To what extent Japan can secure the volume of sensitive farm products, such as rice, wheat and sugar for the country, is its high-priority issue in the ongoing marathon talks running from July 21.

Masatoshi Wakabayashi, Japan's agriculture, forestry and fisheries minister, has repeatedly said after arriving in Geneva that Tokyo wants at least 8 percent of all farm products to be exempted from sharp tariff cuts.

Last week, the minister even said he cannot go back to Japan with an accord on 6 percent.

A revised text for farm negotiations, released before the ongoing ministerial meeting, states that 4-6 percent of all farm products in developed countries will be exempt from substantial tariff cuts.

But Wakabayashi told reporters late yesterday night at the WTO that he no longer has the prospects of securing the 8 percent target.

"The situation is becoming tougher and tougher" for Japan not to go along with the proposals, a Japanese trade official said on condition of anonymity.

Many players in the current Doha Round talks are moving toward broadly accepting a set of compromise proposals circulated Friday by WTO Director General Pascal Lamy, which also included further farm subsidy cuts by the United States and the European Union, delegates said.