China A-share military equipment sector extended gains; Hangfa Keji hit the daily up-limit. Aileda, Ligong Navigation, Longda, Hangtian Huanyu and Lihang Technology also rose.

Japan 20-year bond yield fell 1.5bps to 3.750%.

The first U.S. hypersonic weapon program, whose deployment date was already delayed by at least two years, faces further delay due to unresolved production problems, the U.S. Government Accountability Office said in its annual major weapon systems assessment on Thursday. The report reviewed 104 of the Pentagon's most expensive programs totaling $2.4 trillion and included the long-range hypersonic weapon program.