The benchmark Nikkei 225 index eased 0.05 percent, or 10.48 points, to close at 22,696.90, while the broader Topix index fell 0.12 percent, or 2.07 points, to 1,717.24.
“As there are few clues for trading, blue-chip shares are seen lacking energy to rise further,” SBI Securities said in a commentary.
Traders are waiting for US manufacturing activity figures later Tuesday and the resumption of US-Canada talks on a revised NAFTA deal Wednesday.
They are also biding their time ahead of the possible imposition Thursday of more tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports by Washington, while US jobs figures are due Friday.
The dollar fetched 111.31 yen, up from 111.07 yen in London. The US market was closed Monday for the Labor Day holiday.
In Tokyo carmakers were lower, with Toyota losing 0.63 percent to 6,773 yen and Honda dropping 1.16 percent to 3,218 yen.
Panasonic fell 1.13 percent to 1,306.5 yen and Hitachi was down 0.68 percent at 711.1 yen, but chip-testing equipment maker Advantest jumped 1.42 percent to 2,710 yen.
Chip-making devices maker Tokyo Electron inched up 0.02 percent to 18,515 yen.
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