Japan's Indexes Closed at New Highs Following Records On Wall Street

Akira Ito
12 Sep, 2025
Washington, D.C.

Japan's market indexes advanced on Friday and extended weekly gains, tracking the advances in overnight trading in New York. 

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average increased 1%, and the Topix gained 0.5%, and they advanced 4% and 2% after a week of trading, respectively. 

Benchmark indexes in Tokyo followed the U.S. markets higher amid rising expectations that the Federal Reserve is more likely to cut rates at the end of the two-day policy meeting on September 18. 

Consumer price inflation accelerated to a seven-month high of 2.9% in August from 2.7% in the previous month, but the core rate of inflation held steady at 3.1%. 

Meanwhile, initial jobless claims rose 27,000 to 263,000 at the end of the first week in September, and continuing claims held steady at 1.94 million, the U.S. Department of Labor reported on Thursday.

The rapidly slowing job market expansion and elevated inflation complicated policymakers' task, but investors held out for a rate cut of at least 25 basis points next week.

Closer to home, the Bank of Japan is likely to continue raising rates at a gradual pace, and investors weighed growing political uncertainty after the sudden resignation of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba. 

 

Japan Indexes and Stocks 

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average advanced 1% to 44,821.43, and the broader Topix added 0.5% to 3,163.83. 

Tokyo Electron Ltd. rose 4.9% to ¥22,460.0, Advantest Corp. gained 2% to ¥13,980.0, and Lasertec increased 0.4% to ¥16,660.0. 

Nippon Yusen K.K. decreased 0.4% to ¥5,564.0, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines declined 0.2% to ¥4,839.0, and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha added 0.4% to ¥2,333.0. 

Marubeni Corp. increased 0.6% to ¥3,520.0, Mitsubishi Corp. edged up 0.4% to ¥3,456.0, Sumitomo Corp. gained 0.2% to ¥4,332.0, and Itochu Corp. edged up 0.04% to ¥8,569.0.