Tokyo shares end almost flat

Tokyo stocks trimmed earlier losses and ended nearly flat on Friday as investors sat on their hands ahead of US jobs data due later in the day.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index ended down 0.04 per cent, or 10.63 points, at 27,650.84, while the broader Topix index lost 0.27 per cent, or 5.32 points, to close at 1,930.17.

The dollar extended gains and stood at 140.30 yen, having hovered around 140.20 yen on Thursday in New York, a fresh 24-year low for the Japanese currency.

Trading was "directionless" throughout the session that preceded the US job market data, Daiwa Securities said, while investors remained wary over Federal Reserve rate hikes.

On Wall Street overnight, the Dow ended higher but the tech-rich Nasdaq index fell as market players continued to digest the Fed's commitment to monetary tightening.

Cyclical shares and stocks related to technology, semiconductors natural resources remained under pressure in Tokyo.

Sony Group lost 1.09 per cent to 10,880 yen and Panasonic fell 0.49 per cent to 1,121 yen. Nintendo dropped 0.77 per cent to 56,670 yen.

Hopes generally remained high for tourism-related shares, however, as the government moved to ease Covid-related border control measures.