President Barack Obama congratulated Yoshihiko Noda, Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister, Tuesday.
“The relationship between the United States and Japan is based on common interests and common values, and I look forward to working with Prime Minister Noda to tackle the broad range of economic and security issues that require our attention,” Obama said in a statement.
Noda, a member of the Democratic Party of Japan, assumes his leadership role shortly after Naoto Kan resigned in the face of mounting popularity.