TOKYO, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed slightly lower on Friday, the last trading day in 2018, due to profit-taking after the Nikkei index rose sharply the previous day.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average decreased 62.85 points, or 0.31 percent, from Thursday at 20,014.77.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange ended 7.54 points, or 0.50 percent, lower at 1,494.09.

The Tokyo stock market will reopen on Jan. 4.

According to traders, the Japanese stock market was firm throughout most of 2018, as economic recovery in the United States and robust corporate earnings in the United States and Japan fueled investor sentiment.

Factors such as concerns over possible slowdown of the world's largest economy and the planned resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis at the end of February contributed to the recent turbulence in the market.

By the close of play, pharmaceutical, retail, and oil and coal product issues comprised those that decreased the most, and falling issues outnumbered rising ones by 1,166 to 891 on the First Section, while 72 ended the day unchanged.

Oil refiner Idemitsu Kosan slid 50 yen, or 1.4 percent, to 3,610 yen, while supermarket chain Aeon decreased 70.0 yen, or 3.2 percent, to 2,149.50 yen.

On the main section on Friday, 1,195.06 million shares changed hands, falling from Thursday's volume of 1,576.42 million shares. Enditem

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