TOKYO: Tokyo stocks ended higher Friday following a positive lead from Wall Street as strong corporate earnings boosted investor optimism, while a weaker yen also provided support.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 1.13 percent, or 332.11 points, to 29,609.97, while the broader Topix index added 1.31 percent, or 26.30 points, to 2,040.60. Both were virtually unchanged from one week ago.
The dollar fetched 114.20 yen, edging up from 114.18 on Thursday in New York and is sitting at multi-year highs.
Tokyo's market was driven higher after a rally in technology shares that saw the Nasdaq in New York end well in positive territory -- boosted by a solid earnings season.
Investors also cheered reports that Japan's government will further relax virus measures including removing limits on crowd sizes at events.
Various sectors, from real estate and communication to aviation and maritime transport, climbed on hopes for a boost to consumption, Okasan Online Securities said.
"Hopes for economic normalisation following the easing of restrictions prompted buying in a variety of sectors," it added.
Toshiba gave up early gains and dropped 1.32 percent to 4,872 yen.
After the market closed, the conglomerate announced a widely reported plan to split into three separate firms.
Semiconductor maker Murata Manufacturing advanced 1.65 percent to 8,578 yen and Kyocera, another chipmaker, rose 0.67 percent to 6,914 yen. Advantest, which produces testing kits for semiconductors, added 0.90 percent to 10,090 yen.
SoftBank Group, which heavily invests in Chinese technology firms including e-commerce giant Alibaba, added 2.58 percent to 6,847 yen after strong sales in China's annual Singles Day online shopping event.
Sony added 1.16 percent to 13,960 yen and Toyota rose 2.39 percent to 2,078.5 yen.
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