We introduce an approximation property (
${\mathcal{K}}_{\mathit{up}}$-AP,
$1\leq p<\infty$), which is weaker than the classical approximation property, and discover the duality relationship between the
${\mathcal{K}}_{\mathit{up}}$-AP and the
${\mathcal{K}}_{p}$-AP. More precisely, we prove that for every
$1<p<\infty$, if the dual space
$X^{\ast }$ of a Banach space
$X$ has the
${\mathcal{K}}_{\mathit{up}}$-AP, then
$X$ has the
${\mathcal{K}}_{p}$-AP, and if
$X^{\ast }$ has the
${\mathcal{K}}_{p}$-AP, then
$X$ has the
${\mathcal{K}}_{\mathit{up}}$-AP. As a consequence, it follows that every Banach space has the
${\mathcal{K}}_{u2}$-AP and that for every
$1<p<\infty$,
$p\neq 2$, there exists a separable reflexive Banach space failing to have the
${\mathcal{K}}_{\mathit{up}}$-AP.