Will watch risk from U.S. subprime woes: Japan's Ota

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Economics Minister Hiroko Ota said on Friday that the economy remains on track for a recovery, but it could face downward risks if subprime mortgage problems affect the U.S. real economy.

"There is no change in the recovery trend for the Japanese economy," Ota told reporters.

"There is a possibility that (the subprime problems) could affect U.S. consumption and cause concerns about employment."

Ota was commenting on a remark by Deputy Bank of Japan Governor Kazumasa Iwata, who expressed concerns on Thursday about rising risks from a slowdown in the U.S. economy.