Japan not in the mood to join RCEP if India doesn't come on board

Abe has sought to beef up ties with India across a range of fields to balance China's regional dominance

Japan is not considering signing a Chinese-backed regional trade pact without India, the top Japanese negotiator said Friday, ahead of a series of diplomatic exchanges in the coming weeks that include a visit to Delhi by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

India announced this month it was withdrawing from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, citing the deal’s potential impact on the livelihoods of its most vulnerable citizens. China said that the 15 remaining countries decided to move forward first and India was welcome to join RCEP whenever it’s ready.

“We aren’t thinking about that at all yet,” Deputy Minister for Economy,