The benchmark Nikkei stock index finished the year down 9.4 percent, as Russia's war in Ukraine and fears over a potential global recession as the result of aggressive monetary tightening by central banks offset the impact of solid corporate earnings with the yen's historic fall.
In the final trading day of the year, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average on Friday ended up 0.83 points, or 0.00 percent, from Thursday at 26,094.50. The index saw its first yearly fall in four years.
The broader Topix index finished 3.56 points, or 0.19 percent, lower at 1,891.71.
