TOKYO, Oct 7 (Reuters) - Japanese Finance Minister Shunichi Suzuki on Thursday warned against rapid currency moves, saying he was closely watching the foreign exchange market as the yen hovered near 18-month lows against the dollar. The new finance minister made the comment when asked about the yen’s weakening and its impact on the Japanese economy. He was speaking in a group interview after assuming his post on Monday under the newly formed cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Reporting by Tetsushi Kajimoto Editing by Chang-Ran Kim