Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Tuesday that roadblocks in the pursuit of the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership would shift attention to another envisioned regional free trade pact that includes China, but not the United States.

    Abe told an upper house committee deliberating on the ratification of the TPP after a related bill passed the lower house last week that there's no doubt that there would be a pivot to the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership if the TPP doesn't go forward, according to Japan's (Kyodo) News Agency.

    "RCEP doesn't include the United Sates, leaving China the economy with the largest gross domestic product," Abe said of the regional market opening pact that has been under negotiation since 2013