Japan stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Precision Instruments, Marine Transport and Pharmaceutical Industry sectors led shares higher.

At the close in Tokyo, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.84% to hit a new 52-week high.

The best performers of the session on the Nikkei 225 were SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO:9984), which rose 4.82% or 241.00 points to trade at 5,240.00 at the close. Meanwhile, Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (TYO:7735) added 3.62% or 440.00 points to end at 12,580.00 and Advantest Corp. (TYO:6857) was up 3.51% or 450.00 points to 13,260.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (TYO:4506), which fell 5.22% or 39.00 points to trade at 708.00 at the close. Yaskawa Electric Corp. (TYO:6506) declined 4.19% or 240.00 points to end at 5,490.00 and Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd. (TYO:5202) was down 3.89% or 26.00 points to 643.00.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Tokyo Stock Exchange by 2004 to 1617 and 231 ended unchanged.

Shares in Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co Ltd (TYO:4506) fell to 5-year lows; falling 5.22% or 39.00 to 708.00. Shares in Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd. (TYO:7735) rose to 52-week highs; rising 3.62% or 440.00 to 12,580.00. Shares in Advantest Corp. (TYO:6857) rose to 5-year highs; rising 3.51% or 450.00 to 13,260.00.

The Nikkei Volatility, which measures the implied volatility of Nikkei 225 options, was up 7.15% to 17.24 a new 1-month high.

Crude oil for June delivery was down 1.06% or 0.75 to $70.11 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in July fell 0.99% or 0.74 to hit $74.17 a barrel, while the June Gold Futures contract fell 0.00% or 0.05 to trade at $1,992.95 a troy ounce.

USD/JPY was up 0.35% to 136.85, while EUR/JPY rose 0.18% to 148.42.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.26% at 102.68.