The Nikkei 225 Index climbed 0.2% to around 53,500 on Thursday, marking its third consecutive session of gains, led by chip and memory stocks following positive cues from Wall Street. Advantest surged over 10% on record Q3 sales and profits, fueled by strong AI-related demand for SoC and memory testers, and raised its full-year profit forecast by 21.4%. Memory maker Kioxia Holdings jumped 6% to a new all-time high amid a global rally in memory stocks driven by robust AI demand. Export-oriented shares also stabilized after recent pressure from a stronger yen, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (up 2.8%) and Toyota Motor (up 0.1%). Investors remained attentive to currency market volatility, as a strong yen typically weighs on domestic equities. Political uncertainty ahead of the Feb. 8 lower house snap election added to the cautious backdrop.
