The European currency rose 12.6 percent to 157.12 yen -- and touched a record 157.18 yen -- up from 156.44 yen Thursday.

The European currency has climbed 4.9 percent against the yen since Sept. 30, the biggest quarterly gain since the period ended June 2003.

The European Central Bank, in charge of monetary policy for the 12-member Eurozone countries that use the euro as their currency, this month raised its forecast for Eurozone economic growth to 2.7 percent this year, the fastest since 2000.

Separately, Eurozone monetary supply grew at an annual 9.3 percent rate in November, its highest growth rate since February 1990, the central bank said Friday.