Japan stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Paper & Pulp, Steel and Pharmaceutical Industry sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.82%.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were Tokuyama Corp. (TYO:4043), which rose 3.96% or 94.00 points to trade at 2,465.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (TYO:3863) added 3.60% or 47.00 points to end at 1,352.00 and Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. (TYO:9501) was up 3.39% or 18.10 points to 552.80 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were CyberAgent Inc (TYO:4751), which fell 10.70% or 110.70 points to trade at 923.80 at the close. Nitto Denko Co (TYO:6988) declined 4.54% or 468.00 points to end at 9,832.00 and Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (TYO:7201) was down 2.94% or 19.30 points to 637.50.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2075 to 1487 and 291 ended unchanged.

Shares in Tokuyama Corp. (TYO:4043) rose to 52-week highs; rising 3.96% or 94.00 to 2,465.00. Shares in CyberAgent Inc (TYO:4751) fell to 3-years lows; down 10.70% or 110.70 to 923.80. Shares in Nippon Paper Industries Co., Ltd. (TYO:3863) rose to 52-week highs; rising 3.60% or 47.00 to 1,352.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was down 1.98% to 18.83.

Crude oil for September delivery was up 1.08% or 0.85 to $79.63 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in October rose 0.86% or 0.71 to hit $83.27 a barrel, while the August Gold Futures contract rose 0.49% or 9.70 to trade at $1,979.80 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was down 0.08% to 140.10, while EUR/JPY rose 0.21% to 155.79.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.12% at 100.51.