The US dollar was easier against the yen in early afternoon trading here because of renewed uncertainty about when the Bank of Japan will end its ultra-easy monetary policy, dealers said. At 12.30 pm (0330 GMT) here, the dollar was changing hands at 117.47 yen, down from 117.64 yen in Sydney just over four hours earlier. The euro was quoted at 1.1992 usd, down from 1.2011 usd in Sydney. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said yesterday that the Bank of Japan should make a "careful decision" about ending its present policy, creating doubt about whether the central bank will do it this week. The dollar was also buoyed by talk of a huge capital outflow from Japan in the wake of a newspaper report at the weekend that Softbank may buy Vodafone's Japanese unit for nearly 2 trln yen, dealers said. "If the Bank of Japan decides not to end [its present policy] this week, that may create the impression that the Bank of Japan is surrendering to political pressure and add some additional downward pressure to the yen," said Athena FX director Takashi Kudo. The dollar rose this morning here to as high as 117.73 yen, but failed to see any follow-through buying, as the market waits to see what the Bank of Japan will do at a two-day policy board meeting that begins tomorrow, dealers said. But analysts said the dollar is expected to remain top-heavy because of expectations that the central bank will eventually end its present policy and start increasing interest rates. "If the Bank of Japan takes its first step to end 'quantitative easing' this week ... we believe that it is unwise to assume that the Bank of Japan will continue with zero interest rates for long after ending its policy," said Barclays Capital chief strategist Masuhisa Kobayashi. The euro fell against the dollar, as short-term players are said to be aiming to trigger stop-loss euro sell orders lined up at 1.1980 usd, dealers said.