• USD/JPY +0.3% in cautious Asia as Japanese markets wind down for Golden Week

• Rallied to 157.325 from 156.57 low on bargain hunting after 3.25% Thu slide

• Drifted back to 156.99 on fresh selling followed by consolidation

• Traders remain on intervention watch after Japan warns yen speculators again

• Core inflation in Tokyo stays below BOJ target for third month

• Japan's factory activitygrowth hits 4-year high on stockpiling, PMI shows

• Holidays in Asia affect liquidity; only Japan, Australia, NZ open Friday

• Japanese markets closed Mon-Wed; support 156.50, 155.50, res 157.50, 158.00
JPY:


Japanese yen jumps 3% after government steps into market:

(Krishna Kumar is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own.)