Japan’s Nikkei Stock Average Ends above 53,000 for 1st Time

Jiji Press

17:06 JST, January 13, 2026

Tokyo, Jan. 13 (Jiji Press)—Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 stock average finished above 53,000 for the first time on Tuesday, attracting buying on media reports that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is considering calling a snap general election.

The key index surged 1,609.27 points, or 3.09%, from Friday to close at 53,549.16, topping the previous all-time high of 52,518.08 marked on Jan. 6. The broader TOPIX index also renewed its record high, ending at 3,598.89, up 84.78 points, or 2.41%.

The Tokyo market was closed Monday for a national holiday.

Nikkei component issues saw broad buying after reports that Takaichi may dissolve the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of Japan’s parliament, at the start of the ordinary parliament session set to be convened Jan. 23. Investors bought on hopes that her government would use a likely ruling bloc victory in the subsequent election to promote its expansionary fiscal policy, which is expected to boost stock prices and drive down the yen against the dollar, market sources said.

An official at a large securities firm said that the reports of a possible snap election were a surprise, adding that Tuesday’s buying was “a speculative move in reaction to something that was not planned in advance.”

The Nikkei’s climb was led by heavyweight semiconductor-related names such as chip test device maker Advantest, up 8.54%, and chipmaking equipment maker Tokyo Electron, up 8.23%. Automakers and banks also made large gains thanks to the weakening of the yen against the dollar.

The yield on the newest issue of 10-year Japanese government bonds, regarded as Japan’s benchmark long-term interest rate, rose to 2.16% in Tokyo interdealer bond trading Tuesday. The yield hit its highest level in about 26 years and 11 months after JGBs came under heavy selling on concerns that the expected promotion of aggressive spending following Takaichi’s possible general election victory would worsen Japan’s fiscal health.

In the Tokyo currency market, the yen sank to 158.75-76 against the dollar at 4 p.m., compared with 157.47-48 per dollar at 5 p.m. Friday. The Japanese currency briefly fell to its weakest level in about a year and a half.