By Takaya Yamaguchi and Leika Kihara TOKYO, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Japan's government must avoid meddling in monetary policy and focus on steps to build an economy strong enough to weather the potential pain from any further interest rate hikes, the leader of the ruling coalition's junior partner told Reuters. Japan must ‌also proceed with a two-year suspension to the 8% sales tax on food at the earliest date possible and consider tapping its huge foreign exchange reserves ‌as among sources of revenue, sai ...