Japanese inflation and revised US GDP data will be among the key trading cues for Tokyo investors after a topsy-turvy week that saw the benchmark index stage a big rally. Economists widely expect another weak inflation number, far below the Bank of Japan's 2.0 percent target, as officials struggle to convince cautious firms to usher in big wage hikes to boost consumer spending.
"The highlight of the coming week will be the inflation figures," said Marcel Thieliant at research house Capital Economics. Analysts widely expect no significant improvement in the inflation rate from December, when the figure ticked in at a meagre 0.1 percent.
Traders will also be keeping tabs on the latest US data, including new home sales and consumer confidence, as well as the second estimate of gross domestic product for the last quarter of 2015.
On Friday, Japanese markets closed down sharply, as a stronger yen dented exporters and another fall in oil prices hammered commodity and energy shares. US crude dropped after news that American stockpiles rose to the highest in more than eight decades, reigniting concerns about demand and broader worries about the global economy.
In response, Japanese energy explorer Inpex tumbled 9.40 percent to close at 866.6 yen, while JX Holdings was off more than three percent to end at 447 yen.
Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 1.42 percent, or 229.63 points, to close at 15,967.17. However, the Nikkei tacked on 6.79 percent over the week, after surging more than seven percent on Monday in a rebound from a bloodletting on global markets.
The broader Topix index of all first-section shares dropped 1.48 percent, or 19.38 points, to 1,291.82 Friday. It was up 7.99 percent this week.
Weak sentiment on Friday pushed up the yen, which is a negative for shares of Japanese exporters, as the dollar slipped to 113.13 yen from 113.24 yen Thursday in New York.
"The stronger yen will be a burden on Japanese markets," Hideyuki Ishiguro, a senior strategist at Okasan Securities, told Bloomberg News.
"Investors are concerned at the downside of earnings, especially for exporters, which may weigh down the markets.
Toyota - which said on Thursday it was recalling nearly three million vehicles globally due to the possibility that their rear seatbelt could come apart in a crash and cause injuries - fell nearly three percent to 5,999 yen.
Sony was down 2.54 percent to 2,503.5 yen, while Nintendo dropped 3.08 percent to end at 16,030 yen.
The oil price drop lifted airlines as it bolstered the prospect of lower fuel costs. All Nippon Airways jumped 2.22 percent to 316.9 yen and Japan Airlines tacked on 0.78 percent to finish at 3,970 yen.
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