Tokyo: Tokyo stocks edged down on Tuesday as investors looked ahead to the release of key US data and the latest trade developments.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index eased 0.05 per cent, or 10.48 points, to close at 22,696.90, while the broader Topix index fell 0.12 per cent, or 2.07 points, to 1,717.24.
"As there are few clues for trading, blue-chip shares are seen lacking the energy to rise further," SBI Securities said in a commentary.
Traders are waiting for US manufacturing activity figures later Tuesday and the resumption of US-Canada talks on a revised NAFTA deal Wednesday.
They are also biding their time ahead of the possible imposition Thursday of more tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports by Washington, while US jobs figures are due Friday.
The dollar fetched 111.31 yen, up from 111.07 yen in London. The US market was closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday.
In Tokyo, carmakers were lower, with Toyota losing 0.63 per cent to 6,773 yen and Honda dropping 1.16 per cent to 3,218 yen.
Panasonic fell 1.13 per cent to 1,306.5 yen and Hitachi was down 0.68 per cent at 711.1 yen, but chip-testing equipment maker Advantest jumped 1.42 per cent to 2,710 yen.
Chip-making devices maker Tokyo Electron inched up 0.02 per cent to 18,515 yen.