Washington - US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso pledged to work quickly and closely together to address the world's economic crisis during the first meeting of a foreign leader at the Obama White House.

Obama and Aso will work to jump-start consumer demand and unfreeze credit markets ahead of a global economic summit in London in April, the White House said. Obama told Aso in a brief appearance with the press that hosting the Japanese leader as his first foreign guest showed the importance of the US-Japanese relationship.

"It's a testimony to the strong partnership between the United States and Japan," Obama said. "The alliance that we have is the cornerstone of security in East Asia. It's one that my administration wants to strengthen."

The United States and Japan boast the two largest economies in the world, but both have been mired in the worst global recession in decades.

"We as a number one and second biggest economies of the world, we will have to work together, hand in hand," Aso said. "And I think we are the only two nations which can offer enough to solve those very critical, vital issue of the world."

Aso arrived in the United States Monday night, amidst Japan's sharpest recession in more than 50 years and political pressure at home to resign. Obama has reached out to East Asian countries in an effort to overcome the global economic downturn that has shed millions of jobs in the US.

US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton's first trip abroad last week including visits to Japan and China, as well as Indonesia and South Korea, to explore ways to cooperate in addressing the world's economy. Her trip also signalled the importance the Obama administration intends to place on the US relationship with Asia.

Obama and Aso also discussed the diplomatic effort to end North Korea's nuclear programme, the conflict in Afghanistan and global warming, the White House said. (dpa)