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Tokyo's Nikkei edged up on Friday, helped by a slightly lower-than-expected inflation print for April which reinforced some hopes for further monetary easing by the Bank of Japan.
The Nikkei's gains were limited by weakness in other Asian bourses, notably Chinese shares, and as investors cut positions ahead of the weekend.
The Nikkei share average closed up 0.2% at 14,429.26. The Nikkei lost 0.6% on the week, and it has shed 11.4% so far in 2014.
The broader Topix index rose 0.4% to 1,169.99.
The new JPX-Nikkei Index 400 climbed 0.4% to 10,644.23.
