Around the World's Markets: Tokyo

THE JAPANESE stock market closed higher after wallowing in negative territory for most of the day, as the market drew some comfort from the yen's late fall against the dollar. The benchmark Nikkei 225 average rose by 144.23 points or 0.81 per cent to 17,969.93.

The dollar rallied past 115.30 yen after Japan's Finance Minister, Kiichi Miyazawa, said he had talked with the US Treasury Secretary, Lawrence Summers, and agreed to keep in close contact on foreign exchange rates.