Tokyo stocks closed lower Friday as the yen's appreciation against the U.S. dollar impacted buying and sent exporter issues lower, but losses were capped as some investors hit the sidelines ahead of key U.S. jobs data due out later in the day.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 76.93 points, or 0.38 percent, from Thursday to close the day at 19,952.33.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 2.37 points, or 0.15 percent, to finish at 1,631.45.

Pulp and paper, food, and marine transportation-linked issues comprised those that declined the most by the close of play, and rising issues outpaced falling ones by 1,107 to 775 on the First Section.

Local brokers said the latest U.S. non-manufacturing data coming in below par sent the U.S. dollar lower versus the yen, which impacted exporter issues here.

But traders also said the market's downside continued to be supported by solid earnings reports from listed companies and a wait-and-see approach ahead of the release of the U.S. jobs data later Friday.

On the main section, 1,515.00 million shares changed hands, dropping from Thursday's volume of 1,680.63 million shares.

The turnover on the final trading day of the week was 2,155.3 billion yen (19.58 billion U.S. dollars).