I would like to offer my heart-felt congratulations to Senator Obama for being elected to the office of president of the United States. We witnessed a historical victory.
The election was the center of global attention. Ultimately Senator Obama was able to appeal to the people of the United States more persuasively that he would achieve the change that they seek at this time.
The world economy today faces challenges it has never experienced before, and I would like to see the new U.S. president demonstrate strong leadership in promptly resolving the current world economic and financial turmoil.
I am confident that the president-elect realizes that maintaining a robust and stable Japan-U.S. relationship is the cornerstone to peace and stability in the entire Asia-Pacific region. I look forward to seeing Japan and the United States continue to cooperate closely and play a central role toward the resolution of various global issues, including coping with global climate change and the promotion of trade and investment liberalization internationally.