TOKYO: Tokyo’s key Nikkei index rebounded from earlier losses to end higher on Wednesday, with investors somewhat reassured after Washington said it was “unlikely” a missile that hit Poland was fired from Russia.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed up 0.14 percent, or 38.13 points, at 28,028.30, while the broader Topix index edged down 0.05 percent, or 0.93 points, to 1,963.29.
The dollar fetched 139.75 yen, against 139.16 yen in New York late Tuesday.
News that a possible Russian missile had landed in a village in NATO-member Poland, killing two people, spooked investors in Tokyo initially, prompting sell-offs in the morning.
But later US President Joe Biden, when asked if the missile had been fired from Russia, said that scenario was “unlikely”.
“Biden saying the missile’s origin was unconfirmed helped ease investors’ fears,” Toshikazu Horiuchi of IwaiCosmo Securities told AFP.
“Excessive vigilance around (the situation near the Ukraine border) has subsided for now in Japan,” he said.
Japanese shares fall on sell-off after disappointing forecasts by heavyweights
SoftBank Group jumped 2.94 percent to 6,328 yen, while Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing added 0.36 percent to 83,350 yen.
Meanwhile, Toyota dipped 0.10 percent to 1,996 yen.
The auto giant on Wednesday unveiled the “fifth generation” of its popular Prius model, credited for pioneering the hybrid vehicle market.
Sony Group lost 1.72 percent to 11,390 yen.
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