Tokyo Nikkei 225 down 0.34% at 38,073 points (Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Tokyo , 09 May - Japanese shares closed lower for a second day amid mixed Asian markets, further retreating from three-week highs.

The yen steadied after a three-day drop on the back of suspected intervention from Japanese authorities to prop up the currency, and as minutes from the Bank of Japan's April meeting showed policymakers turned overwhelmingly hawkish.

The Nikkei index closed down 0.34% at 38,073 points after dipping 1.63% in the previous session.

The benchmark index slid nearly 5% in April, the worst performer in the region, as investors took profits after gains in the previous months and as uncertainty over the Bank of Japan's policies weighed on sentiment.

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(RADIOCOR) 09-05-24 08:46:28 (0182) 5 NNNN