Tokyo stocks close higher on hopes for central bank easing

okyo stocks reversed earlier losses to close higher for a fourth straight day despite the yen's rise against the U.S. dollar, ahead of policy meetings to be held by the central banks in the United States and Japan.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 208.87 points, or 1.20 percent, from Thursday to end the day at 17,572.49, while the broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 13.82 points, or 0.99 percent, to finish at 1,407.50.

Local brokers said that hopes Japan's central bank will unroll further stimulus measures to underpin the economy added support to the market, with players shaking off initial dented sentiment from a lackluster performance on Wall Street overnight and the yen's rise against its U.S. counterpart.

Issues comprising notable advancers on the last trading day of the week were banking, securities and marine transportation-related stocks and the day's turnover was 2,788.9 billion yen (25.49 billion U.S. dollars). Endit