This file photo shows the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended slightly higher Friday following advances on Wall Street and the yen's weakening against the dollar, but gains were limited as investors retreated to the sidelines ahead of key U.S. economic data due out later in the day.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 76.24 points, or 0.27 percent, from Thursday at 28,783.28. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 17.10 points, or 0.88 percent, higher at 1,956.31.

       Gainers were led by rubber product, mining, and pulp and paper issues.

       The U.S. dollar briefly rose to 111.66 yen, its highest level in 15 months, after strengthening against the yen overnight on hopes for a recovery in the U.S. labor market fueled by lower-than-expected jobless claim data, dealers said.

       New applications for U.S. unemployment benefits in the week through last Saturday fell to the lowest level since March last year.

       At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 111.56-58 yen compared with 111.52-62 yen in New York and 111.27-28 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.

       The euro was quoted at $1.1824-1825 and 131.91-95 yen against $1.1845-1855 and 132.11-21 yen in New York and $1.1847-1849 and 131.82-86 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.

       The 10-year Japanese government bond's yield edged down 0.010 percentage point from Thursday's close to 0.040 percent, tracking overnight falls in the U.S. Treasury yields.

       Shares across a broad range of sectors were supported throughout the day by a steady overnight rise on Wall Street but remained top-heavy on concerns over a resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Tokyo and its vicinity, brokers said.

       "Investors were hesitant about making bold moves as a wait-and-see mood prevailed ahead of the release of U.S. nonfarm payroll data" for June later in the day, said Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities Co.

       On the First Section, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,773 to 346, while 73 ended unchanged.

       Automobile issues were lifted after the yen weakened against the U.S. dollar overnight, brokers said.

       Mitsubishi Motors gained 10 yen, or 3.2 percent, to 325 yen, Nissan Motor rose 19.80 yen, or 3.6 percent, to 567.60 yen, and Honda Motor advanced 49 yen, or 1.4 percent, to 3,610 yen.

       Bucking the upward trend, Fast Retailing dropped 750 yen, or 0.9 percent, to 83,080 yen, after French media reported Thursday that the Uniqlo casual clothing chain operator was among four retailers under investigation over human rights issues.

       The retailers face allegations their production process involves the forced labor of the Muslim Uyghur minority in Xinjiang, China.

       Trading volume on the main section rose to 904.55 million shares from Thursday's 833.23 million shares.

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