TOKYO — The yen traded precariously near the weakest level in nearly four decades on Friday (June 19), putting investors on guard for potential intervention from Japan to defend its currency.

With the Juneteenth trading break looming in the US, thin liquidity conditions could open the door for Japan to step into markets again, as it did during its own holidays in late April and early May, when it intervened to the tune of 11.7 trillion yen (S$93.8 billion).