TOKYO, May 17 (Reuters) - Japanese government bond yields rose on Friday, tracking an overnight advance in U.S. yields, even as the Bank of Japan refrained from additional bond purchase cuts.
The 10-year JGB yield was up 1.5 basis points (bps> to 0.935%, as of 0142 GMT, after equivalent U.S. Treasury yields first dipped to a six-week low of 4.313% before climbing to end Thursday up 2 bps at 4.377%.
Benchmark 10-year JGB futures fell 0.14 yen to 144.13.
The bounce in U.S. yields followed a decline in weekly jobless claims, and several Federal Reserve officials backed the case for holding interest rates at current elevated levels for now.
Meanwhile, the BOJ on Friday kept the amounts unchanged at a regular bond-buying operation, after unexpectedly reducing purchases of bonds with 5-10 years left to maturity earlier in the week.
The yen dipped in response to Friday's decision to keep the status quo, from 155.52 per dollar before the announcement to last trade at 155.86.
"There were expectations that the BOJ would reduce the 3- and 5-year bucket to balance out the drop in 5- and 10-year purchases on Monday," said Shoki Omori, chief Japan desk strategist at Mizuho Securities.
"I didn't think they would, because if the BOJ cuts at a fast pace, markets are going to keep wanting more," he added. "There is no need for the BOJ to hurry."
The two-year JGB yield, which is most sensitive to monetary policy expectations, rose 0.5 bp to 0.325%.
The five-year yield added 1 bp to 0.540%.
The 20-year JGB yield advanced 1.5 bps to 1.740%.
The 30-year JGB yield increased 2 bps to 2.050%.
(Reporting by Kevin Buckland; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
