TOKYO: Japanese stocks ended flat on Wednesday as profit-taking in the tech sector offset gains in healthcare, though the overall mood remained cautious in the run-up to key meetings by the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan.

The Nikkei 225 Index ended down 0.02% at 29,914.33, but the broader Topix edged up 0.13% to 1,984.03.

Sentiment for Japanese equities remained fairly positive due to a healthy outlook for the global economy and progress in COVID-19 vaccine rollouts, analysts said.

The stocks that gained the most among the top 30 core Topix names were Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd up 2.53%, followed by Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd gaining 1.78%.

Tokyo Electric Power fell 10.15% after Japan’s atomic regulator found safety breaches at the company’s Kashiwazaki Kariwa station.

Honda Motor Co fell 1.35% after the automaker said it will halt production at a majority of US and Canadian auto plants for a week due to supply-chain problems.