Tokyo - Tokyo stocks opened higher on Thursday as investors took heart from a slightly cheaper yen and a rebound in US shares.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was up 0.39% or 84.43 points at 21 591.97 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was down 0.27% or 4.40 points at 1 620.29.
The dollar edged up to ¥113.10 in early Asian trade from ¥113.04 in New York.
On Wall Street, share prices recovered as the technology sector ended a two-day haemorrhage, although analysts said the respite may be temporary.
"Japanese shares are supported by the halt in falls in US shares and a cheaper yen against the dollar," Toshiyuki Kanayama, senior market analyst at Monex, said in a commentary.
Some blue-chip exporters were higher, with Olympus gaining 2.26% to ¥3 385 and Panasonic trading up 0.58% at ¥1 109.
Mitsubishi UFJ Financial dropped 3.09% after a report said US prosecutors are investigating the Japanese mega bank over alleged breaking of anti-money laundering rules involving North Korea.
Its rival Sumitomo Mitsui Financial was down 0.72% at ¥4 126.
Nissan was up 0.51% at ¥959 ahead of its board meeting that will propose the sacking of its disgraced chairman Carlos Ghosn.
Its smaller group firm Mitsubishi Motors was up 0.74% at ¥678, while Toyota was up 0.92% at ¥6 777.
In New York, the Dow closed flat at 24 464.69 while the tech-rich Nasdaq ended up 0.9% at 6 972.25 after two days of rout.
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