01.05.202607:03:04UTC+00Japanese Shares Edge Higher in Cautious Trade

The Nikkei 225 rose 0.38% to close at 59,513 on Friday, while the broader TOPIX edged up 0.04% to 3,729, recouping part of the prior session’s losses. Gains were limited, however, as a sharp rebound in the yen—widely seen as the result of official intervention—sparked caution. A stronger currency typically weighs on Japan’s export-driven sectors and can dampen foreign investors’ appetite for domestic assets.

On the corporate front, advances were led by select technology names, including SoftBank Group (up 3.9%), Tokyo Electron (up 6.9%), and Keyence Corporation (up 7.2%).

Investors also kept a close watch on geopolitical risks in the Middle East after President Donald Trump reaffirmed that the US would maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports. Tehran, for its part, insisted it would not abandon its nuclear program and signaled that it would continue to exert control over the Strait of Hormuz.