Tokyo stocks ended slightly higher Friday ahead of the release of U.S. jobs data later in the day and amid concern over whether the Federal Reserve will again hike interest rates.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 28.81 points, or 0.19 percent, to 15,499.18.

The Tokyo Stock Price Index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange rose 2.17 points, or 0.14 percent, to 1,571. 70.

Trading volume on the TSE's main section came to 1,351.56 million shares, down from Thursday's 1,428.17 million.

Advancing issues led declining ones 786 to 745, with 162 shares ending the day unchanged.

Softbank was the most heavily traded issue in value terms, up 45 yen to 2,210 yen.

Among major gainers with upbeat earnings news, Nitto Boseki jumped 76 yen, or 25 percent, to 380 yen after saying Thursday it has more than doubled its group net profit forecast for the first half of the current fiscal year from its earlier forecast in May owing to strong mainstay glass fiber business.

Nitto Boseki was the volume leader and its percentage rise was the sharpest among shares listed on the TSE's main section on the day.

The TSE's Second Section index gained 4.16 points, or 0.10 percent, to 4,159.83 on a volume of 64.98 million shares. In Osaka, the near-term September Nikkei 225 index futures contract dropped 10 points to 15,500.

Source: Xinhua