The Tokyo Commodity Exchange (TOCOM) rubber contract for May delivery rose 0.9 yen, or 0.5%, to 194.2 yen per kg by 0105 GMT, after last week's 3.8% fall.
Key Shanghai futures were down 0.2% to 12,795 yuan per tonne. The US dollar was quoted around 109.42 yen, compared with around 109.44 yen on Friday afternoon.
Oil prices were slightly lower, with Brent down 4 cents and US crude off by the same. Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock average was up 0.1%.
