Obama, Noda talk economy, earthquake in first meeting

Sep 21, 2011, 21:27 GMT

New York - US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met for the first time Wednesday on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly and vowed to work together to boost the sagging global economy.

'One worry that I've had is that there is a emerging concern that once recovering the economy, we might be drawn back into another recession, and Japan and the United States must work on the economic growth and the fiscal situation at the same time,' Noda said.

The leaders also agreed that the largest challenge facing Japan is recovery from the devastating triple disaster of an earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.

Noda, who has led the country for less than a month, thanked Obama for US support in the wake of the March 11 disaster, which left more than 15,700 dead and about 4,400 missing.

'I know that at the top of his list is rebuilding Japan in the aftermath of the horrific tsunami that occurred,' Obama said. 'I've repeatedly stressed that America will do everything that we can to make sure that that rebuilding is a success.'

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