MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan .MIAPJ0000PUS was up 0.6 percent, after U.S. shares rallied on Friday, shrugging off growing expectations of further tightening in monetary policy.
Japanese stocks fell on Monday on fears that the government will proceed with its plan to raise the sales tax next April, risking a further blow to the sluggish economy.
The Nikkei share average slipped 0.5 percent to end at 16,654.60 points, after dropping more than 1 percent at one point.
Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso said he told U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew that Japan will proceed with an April sales tax hike that market participants have long expected would be delayed.
China stocks edged up on Monday, but trading remained light, with the market's bearish trend seen persisting as the government holds off on further policy stimulus.
The blue-chip CSI300 index rose 0.3 percent, to 3,087.22, while the Shanghai Composite Index gained 0.6 percent, to 2,843.65 points.
The Shanghai index has fallen for five weeks in a row as investor enthusiasm waned on signs that China's nascent economic recovery is losing steam and as policymakers turn more cautious over stimulus as corporate bad debts soar.
Hong Kong shares gave up initial gains and ended Monday flat, reflecting continued investor caution amid worries about China's economy and a possible U.S. interest rate hike next month.
The Hang Seng index fell 0.2 percent, to 19,809.03, while the China Enterprises Index gained 0.1 percent, to 8,308.21 points.
Most sectors fell, with property and energy shares heading declines.
Total trading volume of companies included in the HSI index was 1.1 billion shares, near the lowest level in more than four months.
Reference: Reuters
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