By David Brunnstrom, Simon Lewis, Trevor Hunnicutt and Tim Kelly TOKYO/WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The foreign ministers of Japan and the United States said their countries' ties were stronger than ever on Tuesday,

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken insisted during a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday that ties with Japan were stronger than ever, days after President Joe Biden blocked Nippon Steel's takeover of US Steel.

Nippon Steel touted the $14.9 billion deal as a lifeline for its rusting US rival, but opponents warned that the Japanese firm would slash jobs -- despite assurances to the contrary.

US President Joe Biden on Friday blocked Japan's Nippon Steel's proposed acquisition of US Steel, citing national security concerns – a decision that economists say could hurt American steelworkers and the US economy.

The president said he was moving to protect national security in deciding the fate of the iconic Pennsylvania-based company, which became a contentious political issue in an election year.

Japan's prime minister on Monday urged Washington to dispel concerns that a decision by Joe Biden to block Nippon Steel's takeover of US Steel could impact future investments. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said the veteran Democrat's decision had sparked worries over future Japanese investments in the world's largest economy.

The Biden administration’s blocking of Nippon Steel’s acquisition of U.S. Steel isn’t only misguided. It has also rattled Tokyo and risks straining relations with one of Ame

The assessment by analysts comes after US President Joe Biden blocked Nippon Steel Corp’s US$14.9 billion bid for US Steel Corp.

President Joe Biden on Friday announced he has blocked the controversial $14.9 billion sale of US Steel to Japan's Nippon Steel, citing a strategic need to protect domestic industry.There was rare bipartisan agreement on the issue,