Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade pact will be meaningless without the United States.

He says he will do all he can to call on member countries, including the United States, to complete domestic procedures needed for its rapid enforcement.

Abe spoke at a news conference in Argentina on Monday, at the end of his 7-day tour that included the US and Peru.

He stressed that a free and open economy is the foundation of peace and prosperity and the countries at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru were able to show the world their strong will to promote free trade.

Abe called the TPP free-trade pact an ambitious challenge to create an economic region based on free and fair rules.

He added that when the 12 leaders of the TPP countries met in Peru, none of them expressed any wish to delay or stop domestic procedures in the wake of the US presidential election result. President-elect Donald Trump is against the TPP.

As for Japan, Abe said he will do his utmost to obtain approval from the Diet during the current session.

During the news conference, Abe also referred to negotiations on a peace treaty with Russia. The issue includes a territorial dispute over the Northern Territories -- 4 Russian-held islands claimed by Japan.

The Japanese government maintains the islands are an inherent part of Japan's territory. It says they were illegally occupied after World War Two.

Abe said signing a peace treaty is not an easy task and they have not been able to achieve it for more than 70 years.

He said that he wants to move forward on the issue step by step, based on a relationship of trust with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He stressed future development of the Northern Territories should be carried out in a win-win manner for both countries.

He added that peace treaty negotiations should also advance in a way that will bring economic and other benefits to both countries.

Abe also said he thanked and praised US President Barack Obama for his efforts to strengthen the Japan-US alliance.

He said Japan and the US will continue to join hands to tackle issues including terrorism, poverty and infectious diseases, under what he calls an "alliance of hope."