Summary The benchmark Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange increased 0.78 percent.
TOKYO (AFP) - Tokyo stocks rose Friday morning, picking up a strong lead from Wall Street after minutes from the Federal Reserve s latest policy meeting suggested it could keep interest rates at record lows into 2016.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange increased 0.78 percent, or 140.89 points, to 18,282.06 by the break, while the broader Topix index of all first-section shares jumped 1.36 percent, or 20.12 points, to 1,501.52.
The early lift was also supported by bargain-hunting, which emerged after a decline the previous day when the Tokyo bourse ended six straight days of gains.
In the US, the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced 0.82 percent while the broad-based S&P 500 rose 0.88 percent.
Minutes from the Fed s September 16-17 meeting emphasised policymaker concerns about the slowing global economy, led by China, and the drag of the stronger dollar on the US.
The Fed decided at that meeting against hiking rates.
Juichi Wako, a senior strategist at Nomura Holdings Inc, said the Japanese markets were unlikely to make any extreme movements.
"We re in a Goldilocks state where the economy is looking positive, but the rate hike will probably be pushed back," he told Bloomberg News.
"We ll continue to see a correction of excessive pessimism," he added.
On currency markets, the dollar was at 119.91 yen early afternoon trade against 119.92 yen late Thursday in New York.
The euro traded at $1.1279 and 135.27 yen against $1.1275 and 135.21 yen.
In Tokyo trade, Toyota gained 1.37 percent to 7,450 yen by the break, while Sony advanced 0.28 percent to 3,162 yen.
Market heavyweight Fast Retailing, the Uniqlo clothing chain, slumped 9.23 percent to 44,150 yen after earnings and forecasts missed analyst estimates.
