The yen slipped into the 146 zone against the U.S. dollar on Wednesday morning, a level unseen in 24 years and weaker than it was when Japan intervened in the currency market last month.
Japanese finance authorities stepped into the market on Sept. 22 to support the yen after it depreciated to 145.90. It was their first yen-buying, dollar-selling intervention since 1998.
The yen broke through the 146 barrier shortly after the dollar fetched 145.87-92 yen at 9 a.m., compared with 145.81-91 yen in New York and 145.63-64 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The euro was quoted at $0.9698-9702 and 141.46-57 yen against $0.9701-9711 and 141.54-64 yen in New York and $0.9697-9699 and 141.22-26 yen in Tokyo late Tuesday afternoon.
Tokyo stocks opened slightly lower as investors sat on the sidelines ahead of U.S. inflation data to be released later this week which could increase the likelihood of further aggressive interest rate hikes by the Federal Reserve, brokers said.
In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 43.95 points, or 0.17 percent, from Tuesday to 26,357.30. The broader Topix index was down 2.22 points, or 0.12 percent, at 1,869.02.
On the top-tier Prime Market, decliners were led by mining, marine transportation, and oil and coal product issues.
