TOKYO, Reuters -China’s Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki stated Tuesday that it was not desirable to make sharp currency movements as the yen fell to its lowest level in 20 years versus the dollar.

Suzuki spoke these words before he traveled to Washington this week to join a group of leaders in finance from the Group of 20 countries.

To “respond appropriately to” currency movement, he pledged to communicate closely with U.S. currency authorities and those of other countries.

The Japanese government was closely watching the effects of a weakening Japanese yen on the economy. However, stability in the currency markets is crucial, he said.

Due to a sharp rise in commodity and oil prices and an increased supply problem, Japan’s yen is now experiencing higher import inflationary pressures.

Suzuki refused to discuss how Japan’s government and Bank of Japan would respond to the weakening yen, or whether intervention in the market might be an option.