Many players refrained from taking an overly bullish position as they await key US data expected later in the day, including initial jobless claims and PMI data. Also attracting the global market's attention was a speech on Friday by Fed chair Jerome Powell, who is facing pressure from President Donald Trump to cut the policy rate.
Powell is scheduled to address the annual central bankers' symposium in the western US city of Jackson Hole. "Trade was sluggish due to a lack of fresh incentives," Okasan Online Securities said in a note to clients. It added that the market moved in a narrow range ahead of the release of major economic indicators and Powell's speech.
The dollar traded at 106.31 yen in Asia against 106.63 yen in New York on Wednesday. Among major shares, robot maker Fanuc rose 0.32 percent to 18,375 yen and major semiconductor test equipment supplier Advantest jumped 1.58 percent to 4,175 yen. Construction equipment producer Komatsu added 0.24 percent to 2.251.5 yen. Nintendo was down 0.12 percent to 40,180 yen, while Sony dropped 2.40 percent to 5,851 yen.