Shares in Tokyo fell Thursday at the midday break as investors await the European Central Bank's monetary policy meeting.
The Nikkei 225 fell 0.10%, while the broader Topix index of all first-section shares was down 0.47%.
Earlier Chinese shares held flat after recording the biggest gain in more than five years a day earlier, despite a move by the central bank to boost liquidity, dealers said.
The benchmark Shanghai Composite Index slipped 0.06%, after it closed up 4.74% on Wednesday, the biggest one-day rise since October 2009. The Shenzhen Composite Index, which tracks stocks on China's second exchange, edged up 0.02%.
China's central bank said late Wednesday that it had rolled over a 269.50 billion yuan ($44 billion) medium-term lending facility for banks and provided an additional 50 billion yuan in loans to commercial and rural lenders.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index edged up 0.52%, adding to a strong two-day rally.
Overnight, U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Oil & Gas, Basic Materials and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
