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Tokyo - The dollar eased against the yen in Asia on Thursday after the US Federal Reserve said it would keep its stimulus measures in place to safeguard a tentative economic recovery, dealers said.
The dollar was marginally lower at ¥82.12 in Tokyo afternoon trade compared to ¥82.16 in New York late on Wednesday.
The euro edged down to $1.3703 from $1.3708 while the single currency changed hands at ¥112.56, compared with ¥112.69.
The Federal Open Market Committee ended a two-day meeting on Wednesday with a pledge to stick to its $600bn quantitative easing plan designed to jolt the US economy out of its slumber.
Despite signs of a "continuing" recovery, the Fed kept its foot on the accelerator, continuing emergency bond purchases and keeping interest rates at the ultra-low rate of zero to 0.25%.
"The dollar is under pressure after the Fed made the decision as, despite some improvement in household spending, the economic recovery is not yet strong enough," said Gen Kawabe, dealer at Chuo Mitsui Trust and Banking.
FOMC members said in a statement: "The economic recovery is continuing, though at a rate that has been insufficient to bring about a significant improvement in labour market conditions."
Since the last Fed policy meeting in December, unemployment has dropped to 9.4% and most economists see a diminishing risk of a downward spiral of wages and prices.
Market reaction was muted after the morning release of upbeat data showing Japan's trade surplus grew 34% to ¥727.7bn in December, larger than the market forecast of ¥474.8bn.
The surplus in 2010 also more than doubled to stage its first annual rise in three years.
Volume was thin in early Asian trade, Keiichi Iguchi, senior dealer at Resona Bank told Dow Jones Newswires.
But investors' attention is now shifting to US growth figures due on Friday and a potential Chinese rate hike, which could come ahead of Chinese New Year Day on 3 February, Iguchi said.
The dollar was broadly weaker against regional Asian currencies, falling to Sg$1.2787 from Sg$1.2805 on Wednesday and to 1,114.15 Korean won from 1,117.05.
The unit also sagged to 9,032.50 Indonesian rupiah from 9,037.00, to 44.13 Philippine pesos from 44.45 and to 30.82 Thai baht from 30.84. The dollar was unchanged at Tw$29.03.
