TOKYO, Jan 5 ― Tokyo stocks ended with gains today as investors sought bargains while digesting the impact of a cheaper yen.

The Nikkei 225 added 0.10 per cent, or 30.37 points, to 29,332.16, while the broader Topix index rose 0.45 per cent, or 9.05 points, at 2,039.27.

The dollar stood at ¥116.00 (RM4.19) against ¥116.12 in New York late yesterday, after the Japanese currency hit its lowest level in five years against the dollar.

The market came under pressure in early trade after overnight falls of US tech shares as well as in reaction to healthy gains made in Tokyo in the previous session.

"But investors began bargain hunting and started placing buy orders once (the Nikkei) fell towards 29,200, allowing the market to trim losses,” Okasan Online Securities said.

Exporters, automakers, and other blue chip shares advanced, while some semiconductor shares slipped.

Sony Group jumped 3.67 per cent to ¥15,520, with investors cheered by the company's announcement that it would set up an electric vehicle unit.

Toyota added 2.57 per cent to ¥2,292. Nissan rose 4.25 per cent to ¥615.2. Honda gained 2.61 per cent to ¥3,416.

Construction equipment maker Komatsu soared 5.64 per cent to ¥2,893.5.

Advantest, a major producer of testing kits for semiconductors, trimmed earlier losses but still ended down 0.09 per cent at ¥11,280.

Nintendo fell 1.91 per cent to ¥53,340, and tech investor SoftBank Group fell 1.13 per cent to ¥5,420. ― AFP