Tokyo stocks opened higher Friday on the back of optimistic earnings forecasts released by Japanese companies the previous day.
In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 167.46 points, or 0.57 percent, from Thursday to 29,294.18. The broader Topix index was up 8.95 points, or 0.43 percent, at 2,092.04.
Gainers were led by precision instrument, iron and steel, and pulp and paper shares.
At 9 a.m., the U.S. dollar fetched 134.47-48 yen compared with 134.50-60 yen in New York and 134.54-56 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Thursday.
The euro was quoted at $1.0910-0913 and 146.71-76 yen against $1.0910-0920 and 146.86-96 yen in New York and $1.0929-0931 and 147.04-08 yen in Tokyo late Thursday afternoon.
