Tokyo stocks closed higher Tuesday as the yen's retreat against the U.S. dollar helped support export-related issues, but investors became more circumspect in later trade ahead of U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen's speech later in the day.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 71.74 points, or 0.36 percent, from Monday to close the day at 20,225.09.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, gained 6.81 points, or 0.42 percent, to finish the day at 1,619.02.

Iron and steel, rubber product and mining-linked stocks comprised those that gained the most by the close of play, and advancing issues outpaced declining ones by 1,215 to 654 on the First Section.

Trading volume on the main section on Tuesday came to 1,573.97 million shares, rising from Monday's volume of 1,395.60 million shares.

The turnover on the second trading day of the week totaled 2,142.0 billion yen (19.14 billion U.S. dollars).