东京股市下跌，美元走低

Stocks and the dollar took a hammering in Tokyo Thursday after Japan's central bankers kept monetary policy steady.

"Japan's economy is likely to expand moderately as a trend," the central bank's governor, Harukiko Kuroda, told reporters following the market close.

Although the Bank of Japan (BOJ) inaction was widely expected it still sent the Japanese currency soaring. The yen has recently emerged as a safe haven for jittery investors amid concern about the U.S. economy and the increasing chances of a British exit from the European Union in the referendum next Thursday.

The yen rose more than one percent against the U.S. dollar in Asia trading Thursday. In late afternoon trading in Asia the greenback fell into the 103 yen range, a level not seen since 2014.

A government spokesman in Tokyo characterized the yen's rise as too rapid and speculative and said officials are keeping a close watch on the currency market.