Japan's Kan: Rapid yen rise could hurt recovery

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TOKYO Nov 27 (Reuters) - Japanese National Strategy Minister Naoto Kan said on Friday that a rapid rise in the yen could derail a recovery in the economy and that the government would consider steps to deal with it if necessary.

"Although the Japanese economy is picking up, it is still fragile and the economy remains in a severe condition. If the yen rises rapidly, that could hurt the economy," Kan, who is also deputy prime minister, told a news conference after a cabinet meeting. (Reporting by Hideyuki Sano) ((hideyuki.sano@thomsonreuters.com; +81 3 6441 1827; Reuters Messaging: hideyuki.sano.reuters.com@reuters.net))