The Nikkei 225 Index jumped 1.03% to close at 34,730 while the broader Topix Index rallied 1.14% to 2,559 on Friday, extending gains from the previous session amid hopes that ongoing trade talks between the US and Japan will lead to tariff concessions.
Earlier this week, Japanese Economy Minister Ryosei Akazawa told reporters that Trump said getting a deal with Japan was a “top priority.” On the economic front, fresh data showed that Japan’s headline inflation eased to a four-month low of 3.6% in March, while core inflation accelerated as expected to 3.2%.
Looking ahead, markets are focused on the Bank of Japan’s policy meeting next week.
The central bank is widely expected to keep interest rates steady at 0.5% and may revise its growth outlook downward in light of potential tariff impacts.
In corporate news, Chugai Pharmaceuticals surged 17.5% after the drug it developed with Eli Lilly for losing weight showed similar performance as Ozempic.
AloJapan.com