Japanese stocks ended down on Friday with investors taking a breather from recent rallies and locking in profits on retailer shares such as Ito-Yokado Co <8264.T> and other high-flyers ahead of the weekend. Exporters too came under pressure on the recent appreciation of the yen against the dollar, but investors retained a bullish outlook on the Japanese economy and were keen to buy stocks on dips, limiting the market's retreat. The Nikkei average <.N225> closed down 0.57 percent at 11,418.51. On Thursday it reached an intraday high of 11,647.71, its strongest since June 2002. The broader TOPIX index <.TOPX> dipped 0.67 percent to 1,138.09. ($1=106.81 yen)///