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

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended flat Thursday as buying on overnight share gains in New York was offset by selling amid worries over the domestic economic recovery due to a continued surge in COVID-19 cases.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 17.49 points, or 0.06 percent, from Wednesday at 27,742.29. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 0.31 point, or 0.02 percent, lower at 1,935.35.

       Gainers were led by air transportation, and iron and steel issues, while pulp and paper, and chemical issues led decliners.

       The U.S. dollar climbed to the lower 110 yen range, as the unit was bought on a rise in U.S. Treasury yields, dealers said.

       At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 110.16-17 yen compared with 109.95-110.05 yen in New York and 109.74-76 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

       The euro was quoted at $1.1769-1770 and 129.65-69 yen against $1.1767-1777 and 129.42-52 yen in New York and $1.1737-1739 and 128.80-84 yen in Tokyo late Wednesday afternoon.

       The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond was unchanged from Wednesday's close at 0.015 percent.

       Stocks fluctuated in a narrow range around the previous day's closing level amid a lack of fresh trading cues, with the market weighed down by the Japanese government's decision the day before to place eight more prefectures under its coronavirus emergency, as the country tries to prevent a stretched medical system from collapsing.

       "Stocks rebounded from the previous week's low, but the market remained top-heavy as investors eye the U.S. Federal Reserve Jackson Hole symposium (beginning later in the day) to gauge the bank's stance on U.S. economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic," said Masashi Samizo, senior market analyst at SMBC Trust Bank.

       Meanwhile, the market's reaction was limited to the suspension of the use of around 1.63 million Moderna Inc. COVID-19 vaccine doses in Japan over foreign materials found in some unused vials, he added.

       Takeda Pharmaceutical, a supplier and distributer of the Moderna vaccine in Japan, dropped 33 yen, or 0.9 percent, to 3,665 yen.

       Toshiba climbed 80 yen, or 1.7 percent, to 4,730 yen, after reports that U.S. semiconductor giant Western Digital Corp. is in talks to merge with former Toshiba unit Kioxia Holdings Corp. Toshiba currently holds a 40 percent stake in the Japanese chip maker.

       Chip-related shares were boosted by a record close Wednesday for the tech-heavy Nasdaq index for the third straight day. Tokyo Electron surged 930 yen, or 2.1 percent, to 45,680 yen, and Screen Holdings rose 240 yen, or 2.7 percent, to 9,240 yen.

       On the First Section, advancing issues outnumbered decliners 1,260 to 826, while 103 ended unchanged.

       Trading volume on the main section fell to 860.75 million shares from Wednesday's 912.54 million shares.

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