Japan's Nikkei falls on caution ahead of US jobs data
Updates at 0600 GMT
TOKYO, Sept 6 (Reuters) -Japan's Nikkei share average fell on Friday for a fourth straight session ahead of the release of the key U.S. non-farm payrolls, while a stronger yen weighed on sentiment.
The Nikkei .N225 closed 0.72% lower at 36,391.47 points, after falling as much as 1.7%.
For the week, the index lost 5.15%, its worst week since July 26.
"Investors wanted to reduce risks as they braced for a weak outcome of the U.S. jobs data, which prompted a sell-off of stocks," said Shingo Ide, chief equity strategist at NLI Research Institute.
The yen rose to a one-month high ahead of the key U.S. jobs data due later in the day that could decide the size and speed of coming rate cuts in the world's largest economy.
A firmer yen hurts exporters as it decreases the value of overseas profits in yen terms when firms repatriate them to Japan.
Chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron 8035.T fell 1.9% to drag the Nikkei the most. Chip-testing equipment maker Advantest 6857.T lost 1.38% and technology investor SoftBank Group 9984.T lost 1.76%.
Seven & i Holdings 3382.T fell 1.43%, after the retail giant said it had rejected Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard's ATD.TO $38.5 billion cash bid for the company because the proposal was not in the interest of shareholders.
The broader Topix .TOPX fell 0.89% to 2,597.42, dragged lower by electronic appliance maker Hitachi 6501.T, which lost 3.57%. Sony Group 6758.T fell 2.55%.
The index lost 3.4% for the week.
Of the more than 1,600 shares on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's prime market, 26% of stocks rose and 70% fell, with 2% trading flat.
Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Rashmi Aich and Mrigank Dhaniwala
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