Japanese shares advance

Japanese stocks gained on Wednesday, supported by hopes that the government would allow economic and social activities to resume in response to a decline in new coronavirus infections.

The benchmark Nikkei average climbed 0.8% to a fresh two-and-a-half month closing high of 20,595.15, with shares in the healthcare and technology sectors leading the advance.

E-Mini futures for the S&P 500, which were last quoted up 0.5% in late Asian trade, provided a tailwind for Tokyo shares.

The broader Topix added 0.6% to 1,494.69, its best finish since March 5, with all but six of the 33 sector sub-indexes on the Tokyo exchange closing higher.

Sony Financial Holdings Inc (Sony FH) surged 7.6%, after Sony Corp said on Tuesday it will turn its listed financial arm Sony FH into a wholly owned unit through a tender offer worth about 400 billion yen ($3.7 billion). Sony Corp fell 2.3%.