Japan's Suga says will closely watch forex moves

TOKYO: Japan's top government spokesman said on Thursday he would refrain from commenting on the currency market but would closely monitor moves in foreign-exchange rates.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also told a news conference that it is important to push forward with the government's economic policies and it is natural to consider various steps for the public.

The dollar rose to a fresh seven-year high against the yen on Thursday after upbeat US jobs-related data added to the allure of the greenback, already on a bullish footing thanks to a further divergence in US and Japanese monetary policies.