日本经济前景昨日进一步恶化，USD兑日元汇率逾12年来初次跌破100日元关口，这增加了日本政府面临的一系列经济问题。
The outlook for Japan's economy darkened further yesterday as the dollar slid past the Y100 mark for the first time in more than 12 years, adding to the litany of economic headaches facing Japan's government.
USD兑日元汇率在日本买卖时段试探100日元关口后，在欧洲买卖时段跌至99.77日元。USD汇率上一次跌破100日元是在1995年9月。法国兴业银行外汇买卖部门驻东京主管Yuji Saito表示：这叫人揣测，USD会跌到何种程度。
The dollar fell to Y99.77 in Europe after earlier testing the Y100 level during Japan's trading day. It last went below Y100 in September 1995. It makes you wonder how far the dollar can fall, said Yuji Saito, head of the foreign exchange sales department at Socit Gnrale in Tokyo.
除此之外，欧元兑USD的汇率也一度创下一欧元兑1.56USD的新高纪录，此后，又略微降低。
The euro moved to record highs above $1.56 before easing slightly.
很多经济学家已经在预测，日本经济增速将从2008年首季开始放缓，缘由是开始遭到该国第二大贸易伙伴美国经济放缓的影响，影响出口。出口是日本经济增长的主要动力之一。
Many economists1 are already expecting economic growth to slow in Japan from the first quarter of 2008 as the economy starts feeling the pain of a slowdown in the US, its second-largest trading partner, hurting exports, one of Japan's main drivers of growth.
然而，日元持续高企的影响，加之疲弱的买家支出和不断暴涨的石油及食品价格，给了日本政府强有力的原因，来担忧经济的不断放缓。日元升值减少了出口商的价格竞争优势。 But the added effect of a persistently2 high yen3, which makes exporters' prices less competitive, together with lacklustre consumer spending and surging oil and food prices, leaves the Japanese government with a strong reason to be concerned about the slowing economy.
日本财务大臣额贺福志郎在日元汇率跌破100日元重点位后表示：汇率过分波动不利于经济增长。
Excessive volatility4 in exchange rates is not desirable for economic growth, Fukushiro Nukaga, finance minister, said after the currency broke below the key Y100 mark.
日本经济财政大臣大田弘子讲得更为具体，她向一个议会委员会表示，日元不断升值及原油价格不断上涨正开始影响到（日本）企业收益，尤其是小企业。
Hiroko Ota, economics minister, was more specific, telling a parliamentary committee that the rising yen and rising crude oil prices are beginning to have an impact on [Japanese] corporate5 earnings, especially at small companies.
据路透社报道，日本财务省表示，尽管预计政府不会进行市场干涉，但政府正小心关注汇率波动。日本在外汇市场干涉方面有着悠久的历史，以此限制日元升值、保护出口商。但4年来，日本政府一直没采取干涉行动，由于日本经济已摆脱长达10年的经济滑坡。
The finance ministry6 said it was watching currency moves carefully, according to Reuters, although the government is not expected to intervene in the market. Japan has a long history of intervening in currency markets to cap the yen and protect exporters. But it has not done so for four years as the economy has pulled out of its decade-long slump7.
