Tokyo's benchmark stock index rose at the start Monday after pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron swept his far-right rival Marine Le Pen in France's presidential election. Mr Macron is the first leader to be brought to power from outside the country's mainstream parties since 1958.
"Vive La France. Congratulations to new President, Emmanuel Macron on his decisive victory over the hard right", she said on Twitter. Catherine Fabre, deputy head of the Macron campaign called En Marche told the BBC what were the challenges ahead.
The result will resonate worldwide and particularly in Brussels and Berlin where leaders will breathe a sigh of relief that Ms Le Pen's anti-EU, anti-globalisation programme has been defeated.
"This evening the Prime Minister [May] spoke to [French] President-elect Macron to warmly congratulate him on his election victory".
"What is important is that his election could be a real victory for a more global approach to politics", Blair told French newspaper "Le Monde".
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Mr Macron to congratulate him, her spokesman said. Trump's congratulations to Macron were at odds with his previous public support of Le Pen during a fraught campaign; indeed, the USA president drew parallels between his own outsider campaign and the rise of the Front National during this French election cycle.
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Before the first round of the election last month, he said a deadly attack against a police officer in Paris would have a "big effect" on the vote and he praised Le Pen on immigration, calling her "the strongest on what's been going on in France".
Macron must tackle formidable challenges as he attempts to enact his domestic agenda of cutting state spending, easing labour laws, boosting education in deprived areas and extending new protections to the self-employed.
But many observers are sceptical about Macron's ability to win a parliamentary majority, meaning he might have to form a coalition of lawmakers committed to his agenda.
The philosophy and literature lover is inexperienced, has no political party and must fashion a working parliamentary majority after legislative elections next month.
Furthermore, his economic agenda, particularly plans to weaken labour regulations to fight stubbornly high unemployment, are likely to face fierce resistance from leftist opponents. He was economy minister under Socialist President Francois Hollande, but has tried to define himself as neither left nor right politically.
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