Japanese equities traded higher on Friday, with the Nikkei 225 briefly rising above the 18,000 barrier for the first time in three months. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.5 per cent to close at 17,958.88 while the broader Topix gained 0.7 per cent to 1,767.88.

Exporters were on the move, fuelled by an upbeat outlook for the US economy. Toyota Motor Corp, the world’s biggest auto-maker, gained 2.2 per cent to Y7,460. Isuzu Motors rose 1.7 per cent to Y603.