Tokyo stocks closed essentially flat Tuesday as investors both bought on the back of the yen's comparative weakness and sold based on Wall Street's overnight decline.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average edged up 40.16 points, or 0.18 percent, from Friday to close the day at 22,508.03.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, shed 3.05 points, or 0.17 percent, to finish at 1,774.18.

Market strategists here said that trade was somewhat directionless throughout the day, with some investors opting to pick up issues like exporters owing to the yen's retreat against the U.S. dollar, while others were more circumspect owing to Wall Street's weak overnight lead.

Brokers here also pointed out that some investors hit the sidelines ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting starting later in the day, while others assumed neutral positions ahead of the string of Golden Week national holidays here.

Mining and marine transportation issues comprised those that gained the most by the close of play, while bank and air transportation issues comprised the day's notable decliners.

Falling issues outpaced rising ones by 1,198 to 818 on the First Section, while 67 ended unchanged, and on the main on Tuesday 1,771.67 million shares changed hands, dropping from Friday's volume of 1,882.12 million shares.

The turnover on the first trading day of the week came to 2,871.3 billion yen (26.24 billion U.S. dollars).
Financial markets here were closed on Monday for a national holiday.