Japan's Nikkei stock index rose marginally Monday with gains limited by weak regional markets while Toyota Motor Corp. continued to sink amid recall woes.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average rose 6.98 points, or 0.1 percent, to 10,205.02. The broader Topix index fell 0.3 percent to 898.61. Most Asian markets fell.
"Investors found few leads today. The market lacked a clear direction, and sentiment remained sluggish throughout the day," said Yutaka Miura, senior strategist at Mizuho Securities Co. Ltd.
Among blue chips, Toyota -- the world's top automaker -- fell 1.1 percent to 3,450 yen Monday. Toyota plunged 13 percent in the past week as the auto giant struggled to reassure anxious owners amid massive recalls in the U.S., Europe and China.
Toyota said it will give details Monday in the U.S. on how it plans to fix gas pedals in more than 2 million recalled vehicles.
Faulty pedal recalls and a separate recall due to floor mats that can bend and push down accelerators affect more than 7 million vehicles worldwide, threatening to tarnish Toyota's image of safety and quality.
Toyota's rival Honda Motor Co. declined 2.5 percent to 3,060 yen. Nissan Motor Co. also shed 2.0 percent to 721 yen.
Sony Corp. rose 1.7 percent at 3,060 yen. Panasonic Corp. gained 1.0 percent to 1,436 yen.
In currencies, the dollar rose to 90.21 yen in Tokyo Monday afternoon from 89.79 yen Friday in New York. The euro gained to $1.3891 from $1.3861.
