On December 30, 2025, Japan's Nikkei 225 index fell 0.4% to close at 50,339.48, weighed down by a retreat in technology stocks. The benchmark surged 26% for the year, marking its third straight annual gain. SoftBank Group's slump was a major drag on the index.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index dipped 0.4% to end at 50,339.48 on December 30, 2025, the last trading day of the year. The broader Topix index shed 0.5%.
For the full year, the Nikkei rose 26%, its strongest gain since 2023 and the third consecutive annual increase. The Topix advanced 22%. Japanese stocks benefited from the Tokyo Stock Exchange's push for better corporate governance and, more recently, excitement over artificial intelligence investments.
The index hit an intraday record of 52,636.87 on November 4, following the election of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who campaigned on massive fiscal stimulus. At a post-market ceremony, Takaichi remarked, “The first half of the year was weighed down by global economic instability, including rising prices, labor shortages, and U.S. tariffs. But in the latter half, the resilience of Japanese companies, together with policy support, propelled the Nikkei to a remarkable turnaround, rising past the 50,000 mark for the first time in history.”
A retreat in U.S. equities overnight and a slump in domestic AI giant SoftBank Group pulled Japanese shares lower, according to Nomura Securities strategist Wataru Akiyama. “Rather than a fading of expectations around AI, it appears to be driven by end-of-year adjustment selling amid thin trading,” Akiyama said. “So, we are not overly concerned, given how much share prices have risen this year.”
SoftBank fell 1.9%, the biggest drag on the Nikkei, after announcing a $4 billion acquisition of digital infrastructure investor DigitalBridge Group. Its shares had surged 93% over 2025.
Among Nikkei components, there were 61 advancers versus 162 decliners. Top gainers included Fujitsu, up 2.3%, and Screen Holdings, adding 1.6%. The largest losers were Sumitomo Metal Mining, down 4.8%, and Rakuten Group, which slid 2.7%.
The session reflected year-end adjustments, but overall, Japanese equities capped off a robust 2025.
