Japanese shares climbed on Thursday on better-than-expected economic data releases from the US. Weakness of the national currency also sent exporters higher, thus adding to gains of the stock index. However, market players remained cautious ahead of the key US labour market figures release due on Friday. The Nikkei 225 Index surged 0.89% to end Thursday's session at 8,824.59. Seven out of ten sectors within the index advanced. The top-gainers were financials and consumer goods. Shares of Mizuho Financial Group, Chiba Bank and Fukuoka Financial Group gained 2.68%, 0.89% and 0.65%, respectively. Among consumer goods, Asahi Group Holdings and Nichirei Corp rallied 2.53% and 0.48%. On the downside were oil and gas firms as well as utilities. Inpex and Chubu Electric Power fell 1.58% and 1.08%. Canon also followed bearish trend, declining by 2.15%. after its client Hewlett-Packard warned that its profits are likely to drop next year.