Japanese shares ended flat after a choppy session as Bank of Japan Governor Kazuo Ueda said recent rises in bond yields were a natural reflection of market expectations of future interest rate hikes.

Additionally, Japan's annual wholesale inflation hit 4.0 percent in February, data showed on Wednesday, keeping BoJ rate-hike bets alive.

The Nikkei average finished marginally higher at 36,819.09 while the broader Topix index jumped 0.91 percent to close at 2,694.91.

Nissan Motor shares rose 0.6 percent after CEO Makoto Uchida announced his resignation, paving the way for Ivan Espinosa to take over on April 1.

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