Asian stock markets settled higher on Friday ahead of the U.S. non-farm payrolls report due later in the day.

Japan's benchmark index, Nikkei 225 gained 286.03 points or 1.48 percent to settle at 19,604.61. Hong Kong's Hang Seng went up 67.11 points or 0.29 percent to end at 23,568.67.

Singapore's Straits Times gained 14.51 points or 0.47 percent to end at 3,133.35. South Korea's KOSPI went up 6.29 points or 0.3 percent to end at 2,097.35.

On the other hand, China's benchmark index, Shanghai Composite fell 3.99 points or 0.12 percent to close at 3,212.76. Taiwan's TAIEX declined 30.72 points or 0.32 percent to end at 9,627.89.