Investing.com - Shares in Tokyo posted a nearly 1% gain by the lunch break on Thursday with investors buoyed by a weaker yen
The Nikkei 225 gained 0.91 as the yen fell 0.08% to 118.95, boosting potential earnings for exporters.
Elsewhere, the Hang Seng index rose 0.79%, while the Shanghai Composite was up 1.39%.
Stocks were mixed on Wednesday after a slight pull-back in the afternoon reversed early gains on a light day of trading on the U.S. markets.
Led by gains in the healthcare and basic materials sectors, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 17.75 points or 0.10 % to remain in record territory at 18.226.94.
The NASDAQ Composite Index, meanwhile, dropped 0.02 percent or 0.98 points to end a 10-day winning streak. With two trading days left to crack the 5,000 barrier by the end of the month, the NASDAQ closed on Wednesday at 4,967.14. The S&P 500 also closed down, falling 0.08% or 1.65 points to 2,113.83.