TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended slightly higher on Friday, supported by the buying of exporter shares on a weaker yen, but gains were limited as investors refrained from trading aggressively ahead of a long weekend in Japan.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 98.90 points, or 0.26 percent, from Thursday at 38,776.94. The broader Topix index finished 1.93 points, or 0.07 percent, higher at 2,736.53.

On the top-tier Prime Market, gainers were led by pharmaceutical, rubber product and insurance shares.

The U.S. dollar briefly fell to its lowest level in around two and a half months in the lower 149 yen zone, as the Japanese currency was bought on speculation that the Bank of Japan will tighten monetary policy again amid rising long-term interest rates.

But the dollar later rebounded to the upper 150 yen range after BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda said the central bank intends to maintain monetary easing, while pledging to increase bond purchases if long-term interest rates spike, dealers said.

Stocks opened lower, taking cues from declines in U.S. shares, but soon pared losses as the yen depreciated following Ueda's comments, boosting demand for exporters.

The market was also buoyed by bargain-hunting after the Nikkei fell about 600 points over the past two days, but the upside was capped as trading remained subdued ahead of the long weekend and wariness persisted over proposed U.S. tariffs, analysts said.

"Nobody knows what (U.S. President Donald Trump) will say over the weekend. Investors may need to pay close attention to any news regarding his tariffs into next week," said Masahiro Ichikawa, chief market strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co.