The manufacturing sector in Japan continued to expand in December, and at a faster rate, the latest survey from Nikkei revealed on Friday with a PMI score of 52.6.

That's up from the 15-month low of 52.2 in November, and it moves further above the boom-or-bust line of 50 that separates expansion from contraction.

Individually, There was solid output expansion on overage over the fourth quarter, but demand pressures remained subdued