TOKYO: The dollar was within touching distance of the 100-yen level in Asia on Monday after G20 finance leaders gave a thumbs up to Tokyo's efforts to stoke growth with huge monetary easing.
The greenback fetched 99.62 yen in Tokyo afternoon trade, up from 99.52 yen in New York late Friday but weakening from 99.85 yen in morning trade.
The euro also gained at 130.19 yen from 129.94 yen in US trading. The dollar last hit 100 yen in April 2009.
The single European currency also fetched $1.3066 from $1.3057 in New York.
"The G20 effectively gave the green light for further yen weakness by supporting the aggressive easing by the Bank of Japan," National Australia Bank said in a note.
"However the G20 did add that it would like to see Japan also detail the structural reforms it can take to further boost growth."
The finance chiefs of the G20, after a meeting in Washington, gave a cautious endorsement of Japan's huge monetary stimulus programme, agreeing it was necessary to boost the country's stagnant economy, which has suffered from years of falling prices that have crimped spending and new investment.
Japan's latest policy actions "are intended to stop deflation and support domestic demand", they said in a statement.
A senior US Treasury official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Japanese officials had stressed how the moves would lift demand in the world's third-largest economy, which has been struggling for two decades.
"The latest decision on quantitative easing remedies the situation that was building up for years," said Russian Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, chair of the G20 meeting, at a news conference.
Tokyo has faced heavy criticism in recent months, particularly in Europe, that it was forcing down the value of the yen to help its hard-hit exporters, whose products become more competitive overseas when the yen weakens.
The Japanese currency has weakened significantly since the dollar hit a record low around 75 yen in late 2011.
Markets are also awaiting a string of US, Chinese and European economic data this week.
The dollar was mixed against other Asia-Pacific currencies.
It rose to 54.02 Indian rupees from 53.97 rupees on Friday, to Sg$1.2377 from Sg$1.2355, to 1,121.65 South Korean won from 1,116.85 won and to 9,713 Indonesian rupiah from 9,705 rupiah.
The greenback slipped to 28.63 Thai baht from 28.71 baht, to 41.12 Philippine pesos from 41.13 pesos, and to Tw$29.80 from Tw$29.83.
The Australian dollar eased to $1.0302 from $1.0315 while the Chinese yuan fetched 16.15 yen from 15.80 yen.
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