The Japanese yen was little changed around 159 per dollar on Friday after a volatile week, as Japan’s inflation rate accelerated for a second consecutive month. The data strengthened expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) could raise interest rates in the near term, with markets considering a possible September move. BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda has indicated that authorities could accelerate the pace of policy normalization. The yen rose nearly 1% on Wednesday after the US Treasury Department announced larger debt buybacks intended to contain borrowing costs, but surrendered more than half of that gain the following day as investors questioned whether the plan would offer only a temporary solution. Longer term, the currency remains under pressure from wide interest rate differentials, growing fiscal concerns and elevated energy and import costs.