Tokyo shares closed slightly in the red Tuesday as the yen strengthened ahead of results of a vote to determine the leadership of Japan's ruling political party.
Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average fell 0.2 percent to 9,299.31 points while the Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.3 percent to 21,712.45.
In Tokyo, shares of exporters were under pressure as the yen touched a new 15-year high against the U.S. dollar before the results the Democratic Party of Japan leadership battle became known, with the dollar, briefly touching 83.07 yen before the Japanese currency pared gains.
Automakers and tech shares were hit by the yen's climb, which prompted selling in exporters.
Toyota Motor Corp. was down 1.7 percent to 2,899 yen and Sony Corp. lost 0.7 percent to 2,494 yen. Toshiba Corp. fell 1.0 percent to 396 yen.
In China, property developers were trading lower after data showed apartment prices and transactions again heating up, spurring renewed concerns of tightening measures.
Goldman Sachs said in a research note Tuesday that China's median property sales volume in 15 cities with available data expanded 7% in the week ended Sept. 12 from a week earlier, rising for a second consecutive week in September. The report also showed prices were 25% higher from a year earlier, down from the 27% increase in the previous week.
Shares of China Vanke(CVKEY), the country's largest real-estate company by market capitalization, ended down 0.6%.
Elsewhere:
South Korea's Kospi fell 0.2 percent to 1,815.25.
Australia's benchmark index was up 0.3 percent at 4,626.50.
Taiwan's Taiex was 0.5% higher.
Singapore's Straits Times Index was down 0.6%.
Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur Composite Index was up 1.2%.
Philippine shares were 0.1% lower.
Shares in Thailand were down 1.3%.
New Zealand's NZX-50 rose 0.6%.
The Indonesian stock market was closed for a trading holiday.
