The Nikkei 225 fell as the yen continued to strengthen, closing ¥1,130 lower at ¥65,269. Selling prevailed in the morning as export-related stocks came under pressure, and the decline widened in the afternoon session.
The Nikkei 225 opened lower in the Tokyo market and briefly moved higher in the morning session, but losses widened into the afternoon, with the index ultimately closing down ¥1,130 at ¥65,269. The rapid appreciation of the yen, with dollar-yen trading in the ¥153 range to the dollar, weighed on export-related stocks. The TOPIX fell 75 points to 4,050, declining for the first time in 4 sessions. The TSE Growth 250 also fell 4 points, extending its decline.
Nintendo rose as high as ¥8,995 intraday but ended flat at ¥8,750. Taisei Corporation rose 2.5% to ¥13,145, reportedly driven by an upgrade in its investment rating by a foreign securities firm. Shin-Etsu Chemical fell 2.0% to ¥5,702 amid selling prompted by news reports related to durable solar cells. ENEOS Holdings was bought on the back of higher crude oil prices and closed at ¥1,393.5. HAGIHARA INDUSTRIES INC. rose as much as 11.0% to ¥2,110 following the announcement of a capital alliance.
With the monetary policy meetings of Japan and the United States scheduled for next week, concerns over a prolonged period of yen appreciation kept pressure on export-related stocks in focus. Moves related to interest rates and foreign exchange are expected to continue tomorrow, while attention is also focused on developments such as the Canadian government's retaliatory tariffs on the United States.