Tokyo stocks were almost flat Friday morning, as upward momentum on the back of receding fears over a U.S. recession was offset by concern that the Bank of Japan may shift further toward monetary tightening.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 18.43 points, or 0.07 percent, from Thursday to 27,381.18. The broader Topix index was up 1.45 points, or 0.07 percent, at 1,979.85.
Gainers were led by chemical, bank, and wholesale issues. Decliners included marine transportation, precision instrument, and mining shares.
