Japanese equities closed higher on Friday, with gains led by the real estate, banking and textile sectors, helping lift the broader market despite mixed stock breadth.
By the end of the session in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 advanced 0.89%, finishing firmly in positive territory.
Top gainers on the Nikkei 225 included Ajinomoto Co., which surged 13.39% to close at 4,099.00. Mitsubishi Motors climbed 9.97% to 437.90, while Omron gained 7.93% to end the session at 4,532.00.
On the downside, Kikkoman Corp. fell 7.50% to 1,400.50. Konica Minolta declined 6.10% to 617.30, while Chugai Pharmaceutical dropped 5.67% to close at 8,608.00.
Declining stocks slightly outnumbered advancers on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, with 1,884 shares falling versus 1,713 rising, while 223 stocks finished unchanged.
Market volatility edged higher, with the Nikkei Volatility Index rising 1.01% to 36.16.
In commodities, crude oil prices strengthened. U.S. crude for March delivery rose 1.44% to $64.20 per barrel, while Brent crude for April gained 1.30% to $68.43. Meanwhile, April gold futures slipped 0.61% to $4,859.89 per ounce.
In currency markets, the Japanese yen firmed slightly. USD/JPY fell 0.20% to 156.73, while EUR/JPY eased 0.02% to 184.86. U.S. Dollar Index futures were marginally lower at 97.67.
