Japan-US relations 'extremely important', new finance minister tells Bessent

TOKYO, Oct 24 (Reuters) - Japan's new Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Friday she had told U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that Japan-U.S. relations are "extremely important" in her first teleconference with her U.S. counterpart.

"I conveyed that I look forward to working together on various issues going forward," she told reporters after the 15-minute teleconference, declining to comment on specific topics they had discussed.

Katayama also said she is scheduled to meet and exchange views with Bessent in person when he visits Tokyo along with U.S. President Donald Trump.