TOKYO: Tokyo stocks opened higher on Friday, following overnight gains of US technology shares.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.51 percent or 148.46 points to 29,426.32, while the broader Topix index added 0.71 percent or 14.25 points to 2,028.55.
The dollar stood at 114.08 yen, flat from Thursday in New York and higher from 113.27 yen on Thursday in Tokyo.
The Tokyo bourse firmed after the Nasdaq advanced 0.5 percent, although the Dow lost 0.4 percent.
"Japanese shares are enjoying a tailwind" from the gains on the Nasdaq as well as the PHLX Semiconductor Sector Index, which tracks a group of large chip-related companies, Okasan Online Securities said in a note.
Investors were also encouraged by the Tokyo market's gain on Thursday despite earlier falls on Wall Street, it said.
"Tokyo shares are well supported," Okasan said. "We expect buying today particularly in the machine tool sector and the semiconductor industry.
"Investor sentiment is improving and buying is seen in a wide range of sectors," the brokerage said.
Among major shares, semiconductor maker Murata Manufacturing added 2.44 percent to 8,645 yen. Kyocera rose 1.38 percent to 6,963 yen.
Advantest, which produces testing kits for semiconductors, added 1.00 percent to 10,100 yen.
Toshiba added 1.72 percent to 5,022 yen. The engineering conglomerate is expected to officially announce later Friday a plan to split itself into three entities.
SoftBank Group, which heavily invests in Chinese technology firms including e-commerce giant Alibaba, added 1.74 percent to 6,791 yen after the annual Singles Day mass online shopping event in China.
Sony Group added 1.27 percent to 13,975 yen.
Toyota rose 1.82 percent to 2,067 yen.
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