Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 0.6 per cent today, up for a fourth day, with exporters such as Canon Inc advancing on a softer yen and receding pessimism about US business conditions.
Still, caution prevailed in thin trade, as investors moved to the sidelines ahead of earnings results from Citigroup later in the day and Japanese companies next week.
The benchmark Nikkei average ended up 78.15 points at 13,476.45. It gained 1.2 per cent for the week.
The broader TOPIX index rose 0.8 per cent to 1,304.06.
