Tokyo, Japan (BBN)-Asian shares were mostly up despite weak economic data from Japan underlining the struggle policymakers face in reviving the world's third-largest economy.
Consumer inflation, excluding the impact of the April 2014 tax rise, returned to zero for the first time in nearly two years in February, reports BBC.
Meanwhile, household consumption was 2.9% lower than a year ago, while retail sales were down 1.8%.
The Nikkei was up 0.5% to 19,576.78.
The dollar was at 119.21 yen early on Friday, compared with 119.18 yen in New York trade.
Lingering concerns over the conflict in Yemen limited market gains.
Chinese shares headed lower with the Shanghai Composite down 0.1% to 3,678.93, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down a similar amount at 24,479.24.
Australian shares were higher with banks, energy and consumer stocks posting the best gains.
The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 was up 0.6% at 5,911.3 after recording its biggest fall in three and a half months on Thursday, dropping 1.6%.
South Korea's benchmark Kospi was up 0.2% to 2,025.73 points.
BBN/AS-27Mar15-11:00am (BST)