Tokyo, March 18 (DPA) Japanese stocks jumped in Friday morning trading as the yen dropped against major currencies after the Group of Seven industrial countries' currency intervention.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 158.26 points, or 1.77 percent, to trade at 9,120.93 while the broader Topix index was up 11.06 points, or 1.36 percent, at 821.86.
Tokyo stocks opened higher after the Group of Seven industrial countries agreed to step into the currency markets in a coordinated manner to prevent the yen's surge.
On Thursday, the Japanese currency surged, hitting a record high of 76.25 yen to the dollar. After Friday's intervention, the yen fell sharply, hovering around the mid-81 yen range.
Japan's central bank pumped an additional three trillion yen ($36 billion) into money markets Friday to help stabilise the financial system amid the nuclear disaster following a massive earthquake and devastating tsunami a week ago.
On currency markets at 11 a.m. (0200 GMT), the dollar traded at 81.31-34 yen, up sharply from Thursday's 5 p.m. quote of 79.21-22 yen.
The euro traded at $1.4057-4060, up from $1.3956-3957 Thursday, and at 114.29-36 yen, up sharply from 110.55-59 yen.
A weaker yen makes Japanese goods less expensive abroad and improves repatriated earnings.