TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato on Sunday expressed serious concern over the potential impact of U.S. tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico.

Kato said on a TV program that he is "very concerned about the possible impact on the global economy," and stressed the need to "thoroughly assess" foreign exchange movements and the outlook of monetary policy in the United States, a key trade partner of Japan.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday ordered tariffs of 25 percent on imports from Canada and Mexico, and an additional 10 percent on goods from China.

"We will have to closely look at how Japan would be particularly affected and take the necessary steps (in response)," Kato said, partly referring to inflation concerns linked to the hefty tariffs imposed by the Trump administration.