From NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh.
The US is pledging to strengthen ties with Japan on various matters including global economic growth. Following a meeting today with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the president said that while sequester or broad spending cuts will affect the US government. It wouldn't threaten the world financial system. "The sequester going into effect, will not threaten world financial system. It's not like the equivalent of the US defaulting on its obligations. What it does mean though was that if the US is growing slower, then other countries growing slower." But negotiations seem to have stalled to avert mandatory budget cuts in less than two weeks in the US. Budget battles in this country and other nations have raised concerns among NATO ministers in Brussels about defense spending cuts and the impact that could have on global security.

这里是华盛顿NPR新闻，我是拉克什米・辛格。
美国承诺同日本在全球经济发展等多项事务上加强联系。 今天，奥巴马总统会见了来访的日本首相安倍晋三， 奥巴马表示，自动减支或大幅度削减支出将会影响美国政府。 但是不会威胁到世界金融体系。 “即将生效的自动减支计划 不会威胁到世界金融体系。 它并不等同于美国违约。 虽然实际上，如果美国经济发展减慢， 那其他国家的经济发展也会放缓。” 但是，避免美国两周内面临强制性预算削减计划的两党谈判陷入了僵局。 美国和其他国家的预算斗争引起了正在布鲁塞尔举行会议的北约各部长的注意， 北约部长关注的焦点是减少国防支出及其对全球安全的影响。