Japan finance minister says on heightened alert for FX volatility

TOKYO, March 19 (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said on Thursday that authorities are on heightened alert for currency market volatility, pointing to potentially market-moving events ahead, including the Bank of Japan's policy meeting.

"Today is a day when speculative players could be active," Katayama said in a news conference, citing a BOJ governor's press conference, a Japan-U.S. summit and uncertainty surrounding developments in the Middle East.

The government is watching markets with "an extremely high sense of vigilance" and is prepared to take thorough action at any time, Katayama said, noting that large moves were already being seen partly due to speculative moves.