2026.05.1406:49:58UTC+00Japanese Shares Decline as Investors Take Profits

The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.98% to close at 62,654 on Thursday, while the broader Topix Index declined 0.95% to 3,882, as Japanese equities pulled back from record highs with investors taking profits after a strong rally. SoftBank Group slid 4.3% even after reporting a sharp increase in quarterly profit, primarily driven by valuation gains linked to its investment in OpenAI. Fujikura tumbled 19.1% despite delivering robust double-digit growth in both sales and earnings. Elsewhere, mining company Mitsui Kinzoku dropped 7.9% after issuing a weaker profit outlook for FY2027, even as it projected higher revenue. Other notable decliners included Kioxia Holdings (-4.6%), JX Advanced Metals (-4.7%), Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (-5.7%), Sumitomo Electric (-5.1%) and Sony Group (-5.3%). Investors also kept a close watch on the meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, amid hopes for improved relations despite ongoing tariff disputes and other areas of tension.