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TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei share average snapped a three-day losing streak to close higher on Friday, after Wall Street shares clawed back some of their sharp losses.
Wider gains were capped, however, by resurgent concerns about the U.S.-China trade conflict and caution ahead of the U.S.
non-farm jobs report due later on Friday.
The Nikkei ended the session up 0.8 per cent at 21,678.68.
The index has dropped 3 per cent so far this week, weighed by worries about slowing momentum in the U.S.
economy and as trade fears whacked global equity markets.
"The bounce in U.S.
shares has helped, but the overall situation has not changed much.
There are still trade issues the market has to worry about," said Yoshinori Ogawa, senior strategist at Okasan Securities.
"The market has been moving up and down, tracking the ebb and flow in U.S.-China trade tensions, and is likely to remain unstable next week."
Reflecting the cautious mood, defensive shares such as consumer staples, healthcare and utilities made gains.
Convenience store operator Familymart UNY Holdings was up 3.3 per cent, healthcare product maker Kao Corp rose 2.4 per cent and Tokyo Electric Power Co Holdings added 2.6 per cent.
Fujitsu Ltd advanced 3.1 per cent and NEC climbed 1.7 per cent on expectations telecommunications equipment demand would increase after the Japan said it plans to ban government equipment purchases from China's Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and ZTE Corp .
Yamato Holdings rose 3.4 per cent after the transport service company said its delivery of small parcels increased 3.6 per cent in November from previous year.
Textile company Kurabo Industries Ltd jumped 6.6 per cent after Nikkei business daily reported that internet clothing retailer ZOZO Inc will use threads made by Kurabo for their clothing brand.
Petroleum product majors Inpex Corp and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co fell 1.1 per cent and 2.1 per cent, respectively, as crude oil prices slumped on OPEC's decision to delay a final decision on output cuts.
Oil refiners Idemitsu Kosan and Showa Shell Sekiyu KK ended down 4.5 per cent and 3.8 per cent, respectively.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange's (TSE) oil and coal subindex fell 2.9 per cent, leading the decliners.
Of TSE's 33 subindexes, 21 ended the day on gains.
The broader Topix ended 0.61 per cent firmer at 1,620.45.
