The Japanese Finance Minister warns that all options to support the Japanese yen are not ruled out.

Japanese Finance Minister once again warned that all options, including direct intervention in the exchange rate, can be used to address the recent weakness of the yen. "I have stated multiple times that if necessary, we will take bold action including all available measures," Finance Minister Masaaki Taira said on Friday. Her comments boosted the yen. She also downplayed the view of US Treasury Secretary Scott Benett, who expressed a preference for the Bank of Japan to use policy measures to support the yen rather than intervene in the foreign exchange market. "We both agree that recent trends have been excessive and do not reflect fundamentals," Taira said. She mentioned her meeting with Benett in Washington on Monday. Taira reiterated her view that the joint foreign exchange statement issued by the two countries last year gave her "freedom of action" to take measures as necessary, including intervention.