TOKYO, April 2 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed lower on Monday as investors opted to secure profits after shares' early advance on a weaker yen and the Bank of Japan's (BOJ) survey showing an upbeat outlook for fiscal 2018 business investment.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 65.72 points, or 0.31 percent, from Friday to close the day at 21,388.58.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, ended 7.52 points, or 0.44 percent, lower at 1,708.78.
A comparatively weak yen versus the U.S. dollar sent exporter issues higher in early trade, which had a bearing on the broader market, brokers said, with gains extended through the morning session.
The Bank of Japan's quarterly Tankan survey showing business sentiment had worsened for the first time in two years, however, gave investors cause to pause, they added.
But the market gained support on further exploration into the report showing that big businesses in Japan had an upbeat outlook for the domestic economy and investment environment going forward.
Market players also said that based on the central bank's survey regarding businesses' outlooks, concerns for now had somewhat eased about U.S. trade policy and the potential for the yen to spike against other major currencies.
Before the closing bell, stocks fell into negative territory, however, as investors opted to lock in gains made earlier, they said, with many overseas traders still away for the long Easter weekend.
By the close of play, real estate, precision instrument and construction-oriented issues comprised those that declined the most, and falling issues beat rising ones by 1,346 to 653 on the First Section, with 80 ending the day unchanged.
On the main section on Monday, 956.73 million shares changed hands, dropping significantly from Friday's volume of 1,140.75 million shares.
The turnover on the first trading day of the week came to 1,674.0 billion yen (15.75 billion U.S. dollars).