The broader Topix index ended above 2000 points (2006.99 points, +1.26%) for the first time since January 13th.
The Tokyo Stock Exchange had a spirited session on Wednesday, encouraged by better than expected US consumer signals, which sent Walmart and other retail stocks up on Wall Street the day before.
After stagnating the day before, the flagship Nikkei index climbed 1.23% to 29,222.77 points at the close, returning above the symbolic threshold of 29,000 points for the first time since the very beginning of January.
The broader Topix index ended above 2000 points (2006.99 points, +1.26%) for the first time since January 13th.
U.S. retail giant Walmart raised its full-year profit forecast on Tuesday, sending its New York stock and other retail stocks jumping in its wake as investors began to believe in the solidity of consumption in the United States, despite galloping inflation.
Renewed yen weakness once morest the dollar also supported Japanese export stocks.
There was also optimism on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, whose Hang Seng index gained 0.9% around 06:15 GMT.
On the side of values
THE WELL-ORIENTED AUTOMOTIVE: Japanese auto stocks, a typical Japanese export sector, were sought following: Toyota jumped 2.92% to 2,183 yen, Honda 2.8% to 3,699 yen and Nissan 2.14% to 539 yen.
On the side of currencies and oil
The oil market rebounded on Wednesday following its heavy losses the day before. Around 06:20 GMT, the barrel of American WTI gained 1.11% to 87.49 dollars and the barrel of Brent from the North Sea recovered 0.99% to 93.25 dollars.
On the foreign exchange market, the dollar rose to 134.53 yen around 06:30 GMT, once morest 134.22 yen on Tuesday at 21:00 GMT. The greenback had already appreciated significantly once morest the Japanese currency on Tuesday.
The European currency climbed to 136.74 yen once morest 136.51 yen the day before, while being almost stable once morest the dollar, one euro trading for 1.0166 dollar once morest 1.0171 dollar Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. GMT.
