World leaders congratulates new American president

New York : Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe congratulated Donald Trump on Wednesday on his election as US president and vowed that the countries will maintain their close relationship.

"I express my heartfelt congratulations on your election as the next president of the United States," Abe said in a statement.

"The stability of the Asia-Pacific region, which is the driving force of the global economy, brings peace and prosperity to the United States," Abe said.

"Japan and the United States are unshakeable allies connected by common values such as freedom, democracy, basic human rights and rule of law." 

Concern in Japan, a close security ally of the US and a major trading partner, had grown during the campaign on Trump's opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.

He also called for Tokyo to pay more to support the two countries' security alliance.

Other Trump comments, suggesting that Japan -- the only country to suffer atomic bomb attacks -- might want to consider developing nuclear weapons to combat threats from North Korea, also drew criticism.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday congratulated Donald Trump on his victory in US elections, hoping to work with him to improve relations, the Kremlin said in a statement.

Putin "expressed hope for mutual work on bringing US-Russia relations out of their critical condition as well as on working out outstanding issues on the international agenda" in his congratulatory telegram, the Kremlin said.

"The President of Russia also expressed certainty that building constructive dialogue between Moscow and Washington" would "be in the interest of the people of our countries and the entire world community."

Putin has tacitly supported Trump during the campaign, while Trump repeatedly flattered and praised the Russian leader and said he was willing to work with him.

Russia's parliament on Wednesday broke into applause upon learning of Trump's stunning upset victory over Hillary Clinton, who is seen as anti-Russian by many in the Russian establishment, mostly due to her stint as Secretary of State in 2009-2013.