Mumbai, May 14 -- Japanese markets closed lower on Thursday as investors locked in profits after a strong rally that had pushed equities to record highs. The Nikkei 225 Index fell 0.98% to 62,654, while the broader Topix Index dropped 1.03% to 3,879.

Shares of SoftBank Group declined 4.3% despite the company reporting a sharp rise in quarterly profit, supported by valuation gains linked to its investment in OpenAI. Fujikura tumbled 19.1% even after posting strong double-digit growth in both sales and profits.

Meanwhile, mining firm Mitsui Kinzoku fell 7.9% after issuing a weaker profit outlook for FY2027 despite expecting higher revenue. Other major decliners included Kioxia Holdings, JX Advanced Metals, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Sum...