The Nikkei share average rose for a fourth straight day to end the day 1.2 percent higher at 17,572.49, its highest since February 2. Japan's benchmark index ended the week more than 4 percent higher.
A broad range of shares that included banking and securities rose sharply following a late afternoon Bloomberg report that the Bank of Japan is considering applying negative rates to its lending program for financial institutions, which helped push the yen to its lowest point since April 6.
China stocks edged up on Friday, as strength in consumer and tech shares offset a slump in resources plays, but major indexes posted their biggest weekly decline in three months.
Reversing initial losses, the blue-chip CSI300 index rose 0.5 percent, to 3,174.90 at the end of the session, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.2 percent, to 2,959.24 points.
For the week, CSI300 fell 3 percent, while SSEC lost 3.9 percent, the worst weekly performance since late January.
China's stock market has become increasingly volatile in recent weeks as a seven-week rebound loses steam.
An index tracking the resources sector slumped 2.7 percent on Friday, as shares of steelmakers, gold miners and copper producers tumbled.
The sell-off in the sector was triggered by regulators' move to cool frenzied commodities trading recently, with China's three futures exchanges announcing late on Thursday that they would increase transaction fees.
Hong Kong shares fell on Friday after Wall Street suffered its first loss in four sessions amid disappointing earnings from U.S. blue chip companies.
The Hang Seng index fell 0.7 percent, to 21,467.04, while the China Enterprises Index lost 1.4 percent, to 9,120.91 points.
For the week, Hang Seng was up 0.7 percent and HSCI shed 1 percent.
Reference: Reuters
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