Japanese equities rose more than 2 per cent on Thursday, with a fall in the yen to below the Y110 to the dollar level pushing the Nikkei to its highest close in more than two weeks.

The Nikkei 225 average rose 2.4 per cent to close at 15,513, while the broader Topix rose 2.6 per cent to 1,514,47, the first time it has poked its head above 1,500 in three weeks.