Tokyo stocks opened higher Thursday with the benchmark index hitting a six-year, six-month high.

In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average rose 98.97 points, or 0.57 percent, to 17,606.37, its highest level since July 3, 2000.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 9.68 points, or 0.56 percent, to 1,748. 29. The Second Section rose.

Source: Xinhua