TOKYO, Jan. 14 (Xinhua) -- Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index ended above 54,000 for the first time on Wednesday amid speculation that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could dissolve the House of Representatives next week for a snap election.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average advanced 792.07 points, or 1.48 percent, from Tuesday to 54,341.23. The broader Topix index finished 45.27 points, or 1.26 percent, higher at 3,644.16. Both indexes renewed intraday record highs.
On the top-tier Prime Market, the main gainers were mining, precision instrument and machinery issues.
Tokyo stocks have been on the rise since media reports began surfacing last week that Takaichi, who has pledged to increase spending to spur economic growth, is considering dissolving the House of Representatives for an early election. But concerns over Japan's fiscal health have weighed on the yen and government bonds, Kyodo News reported.
The Japanese currency remained weak in the lower 159 range in Tokyo on Wednesday, while the yield on the benchmark 10-year government bond briefly rose to 2.185 percent, its highest level since February 1999. ■