Asia markets fell on Friday, with shares of Nintendo and McDonald's Holdings losing steam after initially jumping on the news the highly popular "Pokemon Go" app finally launched in Japan, after weeks of anticipation.
The Nikkei 225 retreated 182.97 points, or 1.1%, to 16,627.25, with stocks likely under pressure from a relatively stronger yen. For the week, the Japanese benchmark index climbed 0.8%
In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index dropped 36.22 points, or 0.2%, to 21,964.27
The Japanese yen strengthened against the dollar overnight, with the currency pair trading at 106.03 on Friday afternoon, compared with levels near 107.15 on Thursday afternoon local time and near 100 two weeks earlier.
The spike in the yen came after Bank of Japan Governor Haruhiko Kuroda, in speaking to the media on Thursday, ruled out the possibility of "helicopter money" - or essentially printing money and distributing payouts - to tackle deflation in Japan, amid building expectations that policymakers were gearing up to introduce more stimulus.
Previously, Japan's Kyodo News reported, citing sources close to the matter, that the Japanese government was compiling a stimulus package of at least 20 trillion yen ($188 billion U.S.) to help the domestic economy emerge from deflation, and to fend off possible adverse effects from Brexit.
Nintendo shares closed up 0.8% at 28,220 yen, giving up much of its nearly 5% rise earlier. Nintendo, which has seen its shares nearly double since July 6 when the app was first launched in the U.S., owns stakes in both the creators of Pokemon, The Pokemon Company and game developer of "Pokemon Go," Niantic.
So far, the app is available in the U.S., Australia, New Zealand and Canada as well as many European countries, and most recently Japan.
McDonald's Holdings shares closed up 4.2% at 3,620 yen, paring some of nearly 8% gains in morning trade. The fast-food company reportedly sponsored the game in Japan, with its stores becoming part of the game as "gyms" where the Pokemon characters can train.
In company news, shares of Samsung Electronics dropped 1.8%. Reuters reported before market open that the consumer electronics maker had sued Chinese technology company Huawei Technologies for patent infringements, with filings in multiple courts in China.
The move escalated an ongoing legal conflict between the two. Huawei, in May, said it sued Samsung in the U.S. and China, accusing the South Korean company of patent infringement for fourth-generation cellular communications technology
Shares of South Korean automaker Kia closed flat, with investors largely overlooking news about the carmaker's manufacturing expansion into India.
Media reports said Kia is expected to pick a site next month for its first factory in the South Asian country. Reuters said the move would allow Kia to leverage the existing supplier base of its affiliate Hyundai Motor, India's second-biggest automaker by sales.
Hyundai Motor shares were down 0.8%
In other markets
The Shanghai CSI 300 fell 27.36 points, or 0.8%, to 3,225.16
The Taiex Index in Taiwan slumped 43.42 points, or 0.5%, to 9,013.14
In Singapore, the Straits Times Index recovered 4.87 points, or 0.2%, to 2,945.35
In Korea, the Kospi doffed 1.88 points, or 0.1%, to 2,010.34
In New Zealand, the NZX 50 added 12 points, or 0.2%, to 7,226.06
The ASX 200 subtracted 12.98 points, or 0.2%, to 5,461.11
