Jakarta, July 31 -- Japan's Ambassador to ASEAN Yonetani Koji said the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) needs stronger rules to address growing trade and investment challenges and widening economic imbalances in the region.

RCEP is a free-trade agreement linking ASEAN members with five partners: China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

"Japan and all other participating countries should engage in an earnest discussion to ensure that RCEP rules genuinely resolve regional challenges," Yonetani said in an interview with ANTARA for the International Corner program in Jakarta on Thursday.

Yonetani said RCEP is increasingly important as confidence in the global trade framework erodes, stressing that existing ru...