TOKYO, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed higher Wednesday as a comparatively weak yen against the U.S. dollar lifted exporter issues and comments made by U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen suggesting interest rates may be raised sooner than expected underpinned the broader market.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 199.00 points, or 1.03 percent, from Tuesday to close the day at 19,437.98.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, gained 14.57 points, or 0.95 percent, to finish at 1,553.69.
Notable issues that advanced by the close of play comprised bank, insurance, and machinery issues and advancing stocks outpaced declining ones by 1,385 to 500 on the First Section.
Trading volume on the main section on Wednesday totaled 2,104.59 million shares, compared to Tuesdays volume of 2,104.66 million shares.
The days turnover was 2,294 billion yen (20.05 billion U.S. dollars).
