Stocks in Asia were mixed on Friday as China's manufacturing data fell below analysts' expectations.

Japan's Nikkei 225 slipped 1.63% to close at 20,601.19, while the Topix index also dropped 1.29% to finish its trading day at 1,512.28.

Mainland Chinese stocks were lower on the day, with the Shenzhen component slipping 0.23% to 8,922.69 and the Shanghai composite was declining 0.24% to 2,898.70. The Shenzhen composite was largely flat at 1,531.86.

Over in Australia, the rose fractionally to close at 6,396.90, while South Korea's Kospi rose 0.14% to end the trading week at 2,041.74.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index shed earlier gains to slip around 0.7%, as of its final hour of trading.

The moves in the region came as China's manufacturing activity declined more than expected in May.

The official manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) for May came in at 49.4, versus expectations of 49.9 by economists polled by Reuters. PMI readings above 50 indicate expansion, while those below that signal contraction.

"If you look into the breakdowns and we can see that the trade related indices have all (fallen) quite significantly," Jian Chang, chief China economist at Barclays Asia Pacific, told CNBC's "Street Signs" on Friday.

"The most recent tariff escalation on 10th of May, I think, has clearly played a role ... in driving down ... China's orders and demands and also consumer and business sentiments," Chang said, referring to the recent escalation of the trade fight between the U.S. and China.