Summary The euro bought $1.0756 and 129.40 yen against $1.0780 and 129.52 yen in US trade.
TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo stocks rose 0.75 percent on Thursday thanks to a weaker yen, with the benchmark Nikkei index approaching the psychologically important 20,000 level last seen in 2000.
The Nikkei 225 added 147.91 points to 19,937.72 while the Topix index of all first-section issues gained 0.36 percent, or 5.72 points, to 1,594.19.
The dollar held steady after rising on the minutes of the Federal Reserve s last policy meeting that showed a split over the timing of an interest-rate increase.
Differences of views within the Fed countered an earlier market conviction that a June hike was now off the table.
Given the expectations for the Fed to lift rates this year, "the trend for Japanese and European stocks to outperform the US will continue," Ichiyoshi Asset Management executive officer Mitsushige Akino told Bloomberg News, adding the 20,000 level would soon be breached.
Exporters were higher, with Nissan climbing 4.59 percent to 1,264.0 yen.
Gainers also included the clothing giant Fast Retailing, operator of the Uniqlo chain, and Fujifilm Holdings, which rose 1.93 percent to 48,500.0 yen and 3.23 percent to 4,630.0 yen, respectively.
The dollar was at 120.28 yen Thursday, compared with 120.14 yen in New York late Wednesday and up from 119.91 yen in Tokyo earlier Wednesday.
The euro bought $1.0756 and 129.40 yen against $1.0780 and 129.52 yen in US trade.
US stocks firmed Wednesday as the Royal Dutch Shell acquisition of BG Group alongside a large potential pharma deal offset concerns about earnings season and US monetary policy.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.15 percent while the broad-based S&P 500 gained 0.27 percent.
