U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright toned down Washington's criticism of Japan's economic recovery efforts, calling the 16 trillion yen stimulus package announced last week a "bold" step.
"The U.S. government welcomes very much the very important and bold steps that the Japanese government took in terms of its own economic situation," Albright told a joint news conference with her counterpart, Keizo Obuchi.
Japan's economic recovery is essential for the recovery of the Asian economy and for a reduction in Japan's trade surplus with the United States, said Albright, who visited Japan on her way to China, Mongolia and South Korea.