TOKYO, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed higher Friday although gains were pared as investors took a cautious stance ahead of key U.S. jobs data and on concerns new U.S. tariffs could trigger a trade war.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 101.13 points, or 0.47 percent, from Thursday to close the day at 21,469.20.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, added 5.53 points, or 0.32 percent, to finish at 1,715.48.
Stocks drew buying in early trade on news that U.S. President Donald Trump will meet top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea Kim Jong Un and on hopes that tensions on the Korean peninsula will ease.
Economic analysts said the market had taken a wait-and-see approach after geopolitical advances were made at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, to see in which direction discourse between regional stakeholders would go.
Owing to Friday's moves, investors bought back shares that had been oversold in previous sessions, local brokers said.
But gains were pared in later trade ahead of key jobs data due out later in the day from the U.S., with jitters mounting as the previous month's data had triggered a global equities rout.
Trump unveiling new tariffs on steel and aluminum imports also stoked concerns as the government here and industry bodies voiced concerns that global markets could be adversely affected and retaliatory moves by other countries could spark a trade war, market strategists said.
Construction, machinery and metal product-linked issues comprised those that gained the most by the close of play, and rising issues beat falling ones by 1,097 to 886 on the First Section, with 86 ending the day unchanged.
On the main section on Friday, 1,750.48 million shares changed hands, rising from Thursday's volume of 1,225.76 million shares.
The turnover on the final trading day of the week came to 3,558.4 billion yen (33.34 billion U.S. dollars).
