The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Taiheiyo Cement Corp. (TYO:5233), which rose 4.53% or 116.50 points to trade at 2,688.50 at the close. Meanwhile, Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (TYO:3863) added 4.33% or 53.00 points to end at 1,278.00 and Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (TYO:4568) was up 4.11% or 202.00 points to 5,111.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. (TYO:9107), which fell 4.01% or 133.00 points to trade at 3,182.00 at the close. Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TYO:9501) declined 3.89% or 20.40 points to end at 504.40 and Nippon Yusen K.K (TYO:9101) was down 2.37% or 73.00 points to 3,003.00.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2784 to 837 and 217 ended unchanged.

Shares in Taiheiyo Cement Corp. (TYO:5233) rose to 52-week highs; rising 4.53% or 116.50 to 2,688.50. Shares in Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (TYO:3863) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 4.33% or 53.00 to 1,278.00. Shares in Daiichi Sankyo Co., Ltd. (TYO:4568) rose to all time highs; up 4.11% or 202.00 to 5,111.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 6.78% to 21.59.

Crude oil for July delivery was down 1.51% or 1.06 to $69.11 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in August fell 1.42% or 1.06 to hit $73.73 a barrel, while the August Gold Futures contract fell 0.17% or 3.30 to trade at $1,973.90 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was up 0.20% to 139.59, while EUR/JPY rose 0.13% to 150.08.

The US Dollar Index Futures was unchanged 0.00% at 103.14.