Japan's finance minister watching FX closely, no comment on rate checks

TOKYO, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Friday she was watching currency markets closely, but declined to comment on speculation among traders that authorities had checked currency rates with banks - a prelude to potential intervention.

Katayama was speaking to reporters at the Ministry of Finance after the yen jumped suddenly against the dollar, raising speculation that authorities were preparing to support the currency, which has been weakening recently.

Japan's top currency diplomat, Atsushi Mimura, also declined to comment on the yen's sharp rise.

"In this situation, I have no intention of commenting on that," said Mimura, vice finance minister for international affairs, when asked whether Tokyo had conducted yen-buying interventions.

Asked about speculation that authorities had conducted rate checks, he also said he had "no intention of commenting on that either."