Asian stock markets closed lower on Thursday. Japan's benchmark index, Nikkei 225 lost 229.97 points or 1.19 percent to settle at 19,134.70. China's benchmark index, Shanghai Composite fell 17.46 points or 0.56 percent to close at 3,119.29.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell 106.33 points or 0.46 percent to end at 22,829.02. Singapore's Straits Times fell 2.05 points or 0.07 percent to end at 2,998.89.

On the other hand, South Korea's KOSPI gained 11.97 points or 0.58 percent to end at 2,087.14. Taiwan's TAIEX gained 64.44 points or 0.69 percent to end at 9,410.18.