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Tokyo - Tokyo stocks soared 2.64% on Wednesday as a weaker yen spurred buying after the previous day's losses, with investors closely watching efforts to contain Japan's worst nuclear crisis.
The Nikkei 225 index rose 249.71 points to 9 708.79. The Topix index added 1.87%, to 866.09.
Tokyo Electric Power, which owns the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, was ask-only and limit down at 466, falling 17.66 percent%. The stock dropped 18.7% to close at an all-time low of 566 on Tuesday.
The company at the centre of Japan's worst nuclear crisis said on Wednesday its president Masataka Shimizu had been hospitalised due to high blood pressure, as its stock plunged further amid speculation Tepco may be nationalised.
Amid increasing public anger and expectations of potentially huge liability claims stemming from the nuclear crisis, the government has said nationalisation of the firm is "an option".
In Asian trade the yen rose to ¥82.87 to the dollar from ¥82.48 late in New York on Wednesday, after the greenback was boosted by suggestions from a senior Federal Reserve official that it could soon tighten monetary policy.
The Japanese unit was at ¥116.74 to the euro from ¥116.02.
Stock market sentiment improved after several Japanese manufacturers resumed production, dealers said.
Hitachi rose 8.7% to ¥437 after saying it has resumed operations at a plant in quake-hit Ibaraki Prefecture, north of Tokyo.
Automaker Suzuki Motor gained 5.37% to 1 843.
"It would be best if there is more progress on the nuclear (power plant crisis) issue, but it's unrealistic to expect shares to rise further when corporate earnings (outlook) is uncertain," Cosmo Securities strategist Toshikazu Horiuchi told Dow Jones Newswires.
