TOKYO: Japanese stocks were flat in edgy trade on Friday morning as investors wait to see if European leaders will be able to come up with a plan to resolve the continent's debt crisis.
The benchmark Nikkei index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange slipped 6.55 points to 8,675.60 by the lunch break.
The Topix indes of all first-section issues fell 1.60 points or 0.21 percent to 744.42.
A European Union summit due on Sunday will now be followed by a second meeting by Wednesday, as the leaders of France and Germany, who have been at loggerheads over how to resolve the issue, try to forge an agreement.
"Doubts still remain on whether something solid will come out of the meeting," said Hideyuki Ishiguro, supervisor of investment strategy at Okasan Securities. "The wait-and-see mood will likely continue until Wednesday."
Providing some support was news that the Greek parliament Thursday adopted controversial austerity measures demanded by its creditors to unlock the next tranche of a multibillion-euro bailout.
The euro firmed to $1.3787 and 105.81 in Tokyo morning trade, compared with $1.3772 and 105.81 yen in New York late Thursday. The dollar edged down to 76.74 yen from 76.78 yen.
Olympus continued its slide, with investors selling the camera maker as questions are raised over its fee payments linked to a number of acquisitions in recent years.
The firm was down 4.92 percent at 1,256 yen.
Tokyo Electric Power, the operator of the stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant, fell 7.19 percent to 271 yen after soaring 36 percent Thursday on speculative trading.
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