TOKYO, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo shares closed higher on Friday as a weak yen versus the U.S. dollar lifted exporter issues, with the market mood also buoyed by potentially easing global trade issues.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 91.99 points, or 0.40 percent, from Thursday to close the day at 22,930.36.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, gained 6.88 points, or 0.38 percent, to finish at 1,815.25.
The yen's softer tone against the U.S. dollar saw investors snap up export-related issues, helping push the Nikkei index to a three-and-a-half-month closing high.
Exporters' profits when repatriated from overseas and their overall competitiveness get a boost when the yen is weak versus its major counterparts, brokers here highlighted.
"The dollar's rise into the upper half of the 110 yen range gives a sense of relief to investors," chief strategist at Okasan Online Securities, Yoshihiro Ito, was quoted as saying, with Hiroaki Kuramochi, chief market analyst at Saxo Bank Securities Ltd,. concurring, saying that investors were prompted to buy exporters on the back of the yen's weakness.
Other positives for the market looking ahead, analysts said, were geopolitical issues pertaining to the Korean Peninsula, which if they keep on track, may lift the Nikkei above the 23,000 barrier, according to Hikaru Sato, senior technical analyst at Daiwa Securities.
By the close of play, oil and coal product, mining and insurance-linked issues comprised those that gained the most by the close of play.
Among exporters rising on the yen's retreat, automakers gained ground, with Toyota adding 0.2 percent to 7,571 yen and smaller rival Nissan rising 0.8 percent to close the day at 1,146 yen.
Sony gained 0.5 percent to 5,416 yen, while game and console maker Nintendo, bucking the upward trend, lost 1.9 percent to finish at 45,700 yen.
An overnight rise in oil prices saw energy-linked issues advance, with oil exploration giant Inpex gaining 2.8 percent to 1,373.50 yen and Showa Shell Sekiyu adding 2.6 percent to close at 1,660 yen.
On the main section on Friday, 1,303.10 million shares changed hands, dropping from Thursday's volume of 1,473.47 million shares, and the turnover on the final trading day of the week came to 2,280.0 billion yen (20.57 billion U.S. dollars).
