FUKUOKA, Japan (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said on Saturday that uncertainty over U.S.-China trade friction, if not resolved early enough, could hurt market confidence in the outlook for the global economy.

“The global economy is faced with various downside risks. But global growth is likely to recover in the latter half of this year through next year,” Aso told reporters after the first day of a two-day meeting of Group of 20 finance leaders in Fukuoka, southern Japan.