Japan shares open higher

Tokyo:  Tokyo shares opened sharply higher on Thursday tracing gains in the overnight US market.

At 9:15 a.m. local time, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 231.95 points, or 1.28 percent, from Wednesday to 18,403.55, Xinhua reported.

The broader Topix index of all first section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 16.44 points, or 1.12 percent, at 1, 489.04.

IANS