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

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks closed higher Friday ahead of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's Cabinet approving a record economic stimulus package later in the day, but the upside was capped as some investors locked in gains before the weekend.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 147.21 points, or 0.50 percent, from Thursday at 29,745.87. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 9.01 points, or 0.44 percent, higher at 2,044.53.

       Gainers were led by mining, wholesale trade and precision instrument issues.

       The U.S. dollar remained firm in the lower 114 yen range as Japanese importers sought the currency for settlement purposes, dealers said.

       At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 114.36-37 yen compared with 114.21-31 yen in New York and 114.01-03 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.

       The euro was quoted at $1.1343-1345 and 129.72-76 yen against $1.1369-1379 and 129.84-94 yen in New York and $1.1334-1335 and 129.22-26 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.

       The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond fell 0.005 percentage point from Thursday's close to 0.075 percent as the debt was bought back following a sell-off the previous day, which was triggered by expectations that the planned issuance of new debt to finance the economic stimulus package would push bond prices lower.

       Shares managed to stay in positive territory in the afternoon, after moving without clear direction in earlier trading, helped by a positive reaction to the record 55.7 trillion yen ($490 billion) economic package, brokers said.

       Its larger-than-expected size reported the previous day has raised hopes for its impact in stimulating consumption through steps such as restarting a domestic tourism subsidy program, but the Nikkei's gains were limited due to the absence of further trading cues, they said.

       "The stimulus was welcomed but the market is waiting for the government to show its future direction," said Kazuo Kamitani, a strategist in the Investment Content Department of Nomura Securities Co., adding that the expected stimulus focuses more on coronavirus relief measures than economic growth itself.

       Investors were closely watching for specific positive steps in the package, especially in the field of economic security, such as securing semiconductors and promoting quantum technologies, Kamitani said.

       On the First Section, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,059 to 1,025, while 99 ended unchanged.

       Some defense-related issues rose as the planned stimulus included additional large-scale budget outlays for national defense.

       Defense equipment maker Ishikawa Seisakusho surged 73 yen, or 5.0 percent, to 1,541 yen and Tokyo Keiki, which makes an airborne measuring instrument used at the Defense Ministry, added 33 yen, or 3.3 percent, to 1,039 yen.

       Asics, which provides goods for Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani, jumped 98 yen, or 3.4 percent, to 3,020 yen after the Japanese baseball player was named Most Valuable Player in the majors.

       Nikkei heavyweight SoftBank Group, a shareholder of China's Alibaba Group Holding, dipped 130 yen, or 1.9 percent, to 6,856 yen after the Chinese e-commerce giant reported an 81 percent drop in net profit for the July-September period.

       Mizuho Financial Group sagged 27.5 yen, or 1.9 percent, to 1,458.5 yen after its President and CEO Tatsufumi Sakai and Mizuho Bank head Koji Fujiwara were reported to be stepping down as financial regulators plan to issue additional business improvement orders for the two companies following repeated system failures at the bank.

       Trading volume on the main section slightly fell to 1,196.35 million shares from Thursday's 1,220.40 million shares.

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