Tokyo Stocks Up in Heavy Trading

Japanese stocks rose today in the heaviest trading in more than five months, spurred by a dramatically stronger yen, easing oil prices, higher bond prices and hopes for an easing of Middle East tensions.

Tokyo’s 225-share Nikkei average gained for the fourth straight day running, closing up 507.72 points, or 2.13%, at 24,367.08.

It was the first time since early September that the Nikkei had closed above 24,000. A total of 700 million issues were traded, against 600 million Wednesday.