• USD/JPY from 161.85 early Asia to 161.54 EBS into afternoon trading

• Pre-weekend spec long liquidation seen behind push away from 162.00

• Still plenty of offers ahead mostly to defend option barriers at strike

• Some Japanese exporter offers seen mixed in

• Threat of Japan FX intervention too if 162.00 looks to be breached

• This especially so with large stops eyed above, likely surge on break

• Hourly Ichimoku cloud between 161.55-69 providing cushion to downside

• Low limited to area of cloud base, more tech support at 161.21 200-HMA

• Option expiries today also supportive, total $2.7 bln 161.00-50

• Related , for more click on [FXBUZ]

USD/JPY hourly:

(Haruya Ida is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)