"Unlike yesterday, demand looks slim from pension funds and others from overseas. That helps encourage investors to lock in profits," said Hiroaki Kuramochi, head of global equities at Credit Lyonnais in Tokyo. But semiconductor testing-device maker Advantest gained 2.17 percent to 9,400 yen after a newspaper report which forecast the company's group operating profit for the year to March would be almost double its initial projection, helped by brisk sales and restructuring. Analysts said the market is still optimistic about Japan Inc ahead of the peak earnings reporting season from later this month to February, although a recent rally in Tokyo shares means expectations of solid earnings and a slew of upward revisions from blue chip firms have been partly factored into their share prices. In the construction sector, Taisei Corp was up 2.28 percent at 404 yen.