TOKYO: Tokyo stocks closed lower on Friday with investors disheartened by falls in US shares over fears the Federal Reserve could raise rates more aggressively than previously thought.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed down 1.28 percent, or 364.85 points, at 28,124.28 while the broader Topix index ended down 1.39 percent, or 27.92 points, at 1,977.66.
Growth shares, so called because their sales and profits are rapidly increasing, "led declines as they are sensitive to rate rises," Daiwa Securities said in a commentary.
Many economists expect three rate hikes this year from the US central bank, but St Louis Federal Bank President James Bullard said Wednesday policymakers might have to be more aggressive and raise four times.
Tokyo shares open lower despite US gains
Another regional Fed president, Raphael Bostic of Atlanta, said he was open to hikes as early as March.
In Tokyo, Sony lost 1.94 percent to 14,190 yen while SoftBank Group dropped 1.24 percent to 5,497 yen.
Advantest, which makes testing kits for semiconductors, fell 1.92 percent to 10,720 yen, while industrial robot maker Fanuc tumbled 5.12 percent to 22,695 yen.
Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing, which reported a record first-quarter profit on Thursday, soared 8.07 percent to 63,910 yen.
Trading house Itochu dropped 2.83 percent to 3,497 yen.
Hitachi slipped 0.36 percent to 6,861 yen after the industrial giant said it will sell half of its shares in its construction machinery unit to Itochu.
Kirin Holdings gained 1.36 percent to 1,868.5 yen after a report said the brewer plans to divest all its shares in a soft drink joint venture with Chinese beverage giant China Resources Holdings, in a bid to focus on the craft beer sector.
The dollar fetched 113.79 yen, down from 114.16 yen in New York and 114.62 yen in Tokyo on Thursday.
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