TOKYO, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index ended higher on Thursday, as data showing a rise in foreign visitors lifted retailers on hopes for increased patronage and spending by tourists.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 50.81 points, or 0.18 percent, from Wednesday to close the day at 28,657.57.

The broader Topix index, meanwhile, shed 0.65 point, or 0.03 percent, to finish at 2,039.73.

Local brokers said that despite slipping into negative territory early on, losses were recouped and the market mood bolstered by government data showing that foreign visitors to Japan had increased in March.

According to the data released on Wednesday, an estimated 1,817,500 foreign visitors came to Japan in March, which is 65.8 percent of the level seen in March 2019, prior to the outbreak of COVID-19.

Compared to a year earlier, the figure was more than 27 times higher, and the most since Japan lifted major pandemic-related restrictions last October, the data showed.

"Market participants are hoping for more tourists from China as their spending is higher than that of others," Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities Co., was quoted as saying.

"Sentiment was also supported by hopes for a boost in domestic tourism heading into the Golden Week holidays starting later in the month," Miura said.

Retail-linked issues gaining traction on hopes for increased spending by overseas visitors, included department store operators J. Front Retailing and Takashimaya rising 3.3 and 3.7 percent, respectively.

Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings, meanwhile, closed 2.2 percent higher, while Uniqlo clothing chain operator gained 1.4 percent.

High technology issues also found favor on hopes for solid earnings and outlooks both domestically and overseas, with chip-testing equipment maker Advantest Corp. climbing 2.2 percent, while chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron Ltd. added 1.7 percent.

Nikkei heavyweight SoftBank Group Corp. weighed on the broader market, however, losing 1.6 percent.

By the close of play, retail, pulp and paper, and electric appliance-linked issues comprised those that gained the most.

The turnover on the Prime Market on the penultimate trading day of the week came to 2,242.80 billion yen (16.66 billion U.S. dollars). Enditem

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