Japanese shares climbed Thursday as investor sentiment was boosted by parliamentary approval for a Greek austerity package and gains on other Asian markets, as dpa reported. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 18.83 points, or 0.19 per cent, to trade at 9,816.09. The broader-based Topix index was up 5.11 points, or 0.61 per cent, at 849.22. Tokyo stocks opened higher after overnight gains on US and European markets because of easing concerns about Greece's debt woes. The Greek government's plan to cut spending and raise taxes passed a vote in Parliament Wednesday, the first stage in approving measures that are a condition for further international bailout funds. In the afternoon, Tokyo stocks were also lifted by gains on other Asian markets. By midafternoon, China's Shanghai Composite Index had risen 1.23 per cent and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index had jumped 1.61 per cent. The rise on Tokyo markets came despite a strengthening of the yen, which makes Japanese-made products more expensive overseas and erodes the earnings from exports when the revenues are repatriated. On currency markets at 3 pm (0600 GMT), the dollar traded at 80.38-40 yen, down from Wednesday's 5 pm quote of 81.07-08 yen. The euro traded at 1.4498-4500 dollars, up from 1.4392-4393 dollars Wednesday, and at 116.55-58 yen, down from 116.68-72 yen.
