All 16 leaders working to resolve India's concerns over RCEP: Japan

A day after India and Japan held their first foreign and defence ministerial talks to further strengthen strategic ties, Tokyo emphasised that all the 16 leaders are working to resolve issues related to India on RCEP in a satisfactory way.

New Delhi: Commenting on India's decision to not join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a spokesperson of the Japanese foreign ministry on Sunday said that all the countries of the group are working to resolve New Delhi's concerns over RCEP.

"All the 16 leaders are working to resolve issues related to India on RCEP in a satisfactory way," Atsushi Kaifu, Deputy Press Secretary in the Japanese ministry of foreign affairs said here.

His comments came a day after India and Japan held their first foreign and defence ministerial talks to further strengthen strategic ties.

Asserting that Japan does not compromise on security and maritime issues, Kaifu said that the freedom of navigation and overflight must be ensured in the south China sea region.

"Japan and China now have a lively relationship, but we do not compromise on security and maritime issues including on the South China Sea," he added.

He also added that both New Delhi and Tokyo are working on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor or bullet train project.

"We do not share the impression that the project is stuck. Joint Feasibility Study has been conducted and government-to-government memorandum has been signed. Moreover, some concrete facilities have been constructed for training Indian personnel for the project," Kaifu said.