Asian stock markets closed lower on Thursday after the latest Fed minutes raised the possibility that a U.S. rate hike could come sooner than expected.

Japan's benchmark index, Nikkei 225 lost 8.41 points or 0.04 percent to settle at 19,371.46. China's benchmark index, Shanghai Composite lost 9.84 points or 0.3 percent to close at 3,251.38.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng lost 87.10 points or 0.36 percent to end at 24,114.86. Taiwan's TAIEX fell 9.47 points or 0.1 percent to end at 9,769.31.

On the other hand, Singapore's Straits Times gained 15.37 points or 0.49 percent to end at 3,137.57. South Korea's KOSPI gained 1.02 points or 0.05 percent to end at 2,107.63.