The Nikkei index briefly climbed above 19,000 for the first time in nearly 15 years Thursday as investor sentiment was buoyed by optimism toward the Japanese economy.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average climbed as far as 19,008.13, the highest intraday level since April 2000, (Kyodo) news agency reported.
It ended the day up 267.59 points, or 1.43%, from Wednesday at 18,991.11.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 20.96 points, or 1.37%, higher at 1,546.63.