TOKYO, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed marginally lower Thursday as a potential resumption of trade talks between China and the U.S. helped narrow earlier losses amid ongoing concerns over heightening U.S.-Turkey tensions.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 12.18 points, or 0.05 percent, from Wednesday to close the day at 22,192.04.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 10.88 points, or 0.64 percent, to finish at 1,687.15.
Stocks came under pressure in early trading tracking a slump on Wall Street overnight, local brokers here said.
They added that investors also still remained concerned about Turkey's financial crisis and the possibility of contagion in emerging economies, with heightening tensions between Ankara and Washington adding to a risk-off market mood.
But losses were pared in later trade, market strategists here said, following the Chinese Commerce Ministry saying Thursday that it will resume trade talks with the United States, with a delegation led by Vice Commerce Minister Wang Shouwen scheduled to visit the U.S. late this month.
As a result of the news, Nikkei heavyweights advanced, helping bolster the market, with Fast Retailing and industrial robotics maker Fanuc both making headway.
As the mood turned risk-on in later trade, the yen's depreciation against the U.S. dollar also helped drive export-related issues forward, analysts also said.
By the close of play, oil and coal product, nonferrous metal, and chemical-oriented issues comprised those that declined the most, and falling issues beat rising ones by 1,673 to 367 on the First Section, with 64 ending the day unchanged.
On the main section on Thursday, 1,546.77 million shares changed hands, rising from Wednesday's volume of 1,244.76 million shares.
The turnover on the penultimate trading day of the week came to 2,586.7 billion yen (23.32 billion U.S. dollars).
