Japan's Nikkei closes at 15-year high

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Japan's Nikkei 225 index has closed above 20,000 points for the first time in 15 years after the country recorded its first trade surplus in three years.

The index ended the day up 224.81 points, or 1.1%, at 20,133.90.

Chinese stocks continued their recent bull run, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng index up 0.3% and the Shanghai Composite rallying 2.4% to a fresh, seven-year high.

Meanwhile South Korea saw the Kospi index close flat at 2,143.89 points.

In Japan, stocks rallied as the country logged a trade surplus in March after the weaker yen boosted exports and cheaper oil prices lowered its import bill.

The trade balance came in at 229.3bn yen ($1.9bn; £1.3bn) in March, beating market expectations for a surplus of 44.6bn yen.

Exports rose by 8.5% from a year earlier, while imports fell by 14.5%.

Mining production

Australia's share market was dragged lower by BHP Billiton and other miners because of concerns over falling commodity prices.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed 0.6% lower at 5,837.50, with added pressure from new data showing soft consumer prices.

Shares of BHP Billiton declined by as much as 1.9%, the biggest fall in a year, after the firm said it would delay the expansion of its iron ore operations in Western Australia.

The mining giant said production of iron ore increased 16% from a year earlier in the nine months to March.

However, spot iron ore prices have fallen by 60% over the past year due to oversupply in the market and slowing demand from China, its biggest consumer.

The slump has affected both large and small miners in Australia, with iron ore the country's biggest commodity export.