Tokyo stocks opened 0.49 percent higher on Friday, buoyed by optimism over the US economy.
The Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 45.89 points at 9,446.77.
Talks on averting the “fiscal cliff” of tax hikes and spending cuts proceed in Washington, while the US government raised its estimate of third-quarter economic growth, analysts noted.
“Stocks are likely to extend their recent bullish trend,” said Hiroichi Nishi, general manager of equities at SMBC Nikko Securities.
“With most of the rhetoric about future political change and more central bank easing hopes (in Japan) now factored in, markets will turn to watching currency levels,” he told Dow Jones Newswires.
He added pre-weekend position-closing as well as month-end window dressing would also become priorities.
Currency rates hardly moved immediately after the Japanese government released a batch of October economic data. Industrial production logged a surprise rise while inflation and jobless rate stayed flat.
The euro bought $1.2970 and 106.48 yen in early Asian trade after the data, $1.2978 and 106.58 yen in New York late Thursday.
The dollar was unchanged at 82.10 yen.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 0.28 percent at 13,021.82 on Thursday, helped by an expected strong upward revision in the US economic growth estimate for the third quarter.
Tokyo stocks open up 0.49%
