The Japanese yen strengthened against the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, pushing USD/JPY into the mid-151s as traders trimmed dollar positions ahead of the Federal Reserve's FOMC meeting minutes due Wednesday. The move came as softer U.S. jobs data and cooling inflation reinforced expectations that the Fed could begin easing monetary policy sooner than previously thought, weighing on Treasury yields and narrowing the U.S.-Japan rate gap that has been a key driver of the pair. The yen also drew support from growing market expectations that the Bank of Japan could move toward ending negative interest rates next year after officials hinted at a possible policy shift. Investors are now focused on whether the Fed minutes show a more detailed debate over the risk of keeping rates high for too long. A dovish read could deepen the dollar's pullback and bring the 150 level into view, while a hawkish surprise could lift the dollar and reverse part of the yen's gains.