Japanese stocks slipped on Friday amid investor caution before an impending US jobs report that could impact near-term direction for risk asset markets.
The Nikkei fell 0.2 per cent to 16,860.09, snapping four sessions of gains. The index still rose 2.5 per cent on the week, helped by a sharp slide in the yen versus the dollar.
Seven & i Holdings Co Ltd, Japan's second largest retailer, fell 5 per cent after it said on Thursday that it had entered a business and capital alliance with smaller peer H2O Retailing Corp. Shares of H20 Retailing rose 3 per cent.
The broader Topix fell 0.25 percent to 1,350.61 and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 dropped 0.23 per cent to 12,095.49.