Japan’s Topix index rose to a 26-year high on Thursday, while the Nikkei share average broke the 23,000 level for the first time since January 1992 as financial and securities shares rallied.
The Topix was up 1.4 per cent at 1,843.31 at the end of morning trade, after earlier rising as high as 1,844.05, its loftiest level since November 1991.
The Nikkei jumped 2.0 per cent to 23,368.16, according to Reuters.
On Wall Street on Wednesday, all three major indexes closed at record highs, buoyed by rallying video game makers.
The dollar was up 0.2 per cent at 114.04 yen, off its eight-month high of 114.737 touched on Monday.
Financial and securities shares were among strong gainers, with the securities sub-index up 2.8 per cent and the financials sub-index up 2.4 per cent. The insurance sub-index rose 2.3 per cent.
Pasona Group shares soared 12.4 per cent but Nissan Motor Co fell 1.0 per cent.
Japan Display Inc was another exception, its shares skidding 9.5 per cent a day after the liquid crystal display maker reported a loss for the quarter through September.
The JPX-Nikkei Index 400 was up 1.6 per cent at 16,403.37.