TOKYO, Sept. 20 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed higher Friday as investor sentiment was bolstered by expectations the Bank of Japan (BOJ) may soon roll out addition easing measures as other global central banks are in various stages of making similar moves to underpin their economies.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 34.64 points, or 0.16 percent, from Thursday to close the day at 22,079.09, marking its highest closing level since April 26.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, added 0.57 point, or 0.04 percent, to finish at 1,616.23.
Remarks made Thursday by BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda following the bank's two-day policy-setting meeting, the conclusion of which saw the bank hold its easing measures steady, were well-received by investors, local brokers here said.
Despite staying pat on its monetary policy amid a flurry of easing activity by other central banks, including but not limited to the U.S. Federal Reserve, Kuroda said the bank stood poised to adjust its rates and other policy tools if necessary to underpin the world's third largest economy.
"Continued hopes for BOJ easing measures are supporting the market," Maki Sawada, vice president of the investment research and investor services department at Nomura Securities Co., was quoted as saying on the matter.
Underpinning such sentiment, the Bank of England indicated that it may reduce its rates if uncertainties surrounding Britain's planned exit from the European Union continues amid a global downturn, market strategists here said.
They went on to highlight that the Swiss National Bank had held its rates steady and while Norway's central bank had hiked its rate, Indonesia's central bank had lowered its.
With hopes for global easing underpinning market sentiment here, brokers said that investors took to selling in later trade to lock in gains made after rises recently and ahead of a three-day weekend here in Japan, with concerns begin to arise about the market possibly overheating.
"Technical charts showed some signs of the market's overheating. Market players are adjusting their positions before the three-day holiday," said Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co.
Issues sensitive to domestic demand found favor Friday on hopes the Rugby World Cup, which has just started in Japan, would see patronage increase.
Rakuten jumped 3.9 percent and Fast Retailing, operator of the Uniqlo chain of casual clothing, closed the day 0.8 percent higher.
Operator of a British-themed pub chain, Hub, saw its shares surge 7.0 percent as international fans can easily navigate the pubs' selection of western food and range of draught beers.
By the close of play, precision instrument, metal product and nonferrous metal-linked issues comprised those that gained the most, and issues that advanced outpaced those that declined by 1,157 to 886 on the First Section, while 108 ended the day unchanged.
On the main section on Friday, 1,458.59 million shares changed hands, rising from Thursday's volume of 1,333.14 million shares.
The turnover on the final trading day of the week came to 2,770.0 billion yen (25.65 billion U.S. dollars).
