Japanese equities rebounded on Wednesday, mirroring gains in US shares and the dollar, as recent US labor data indicated resilience despite growing concerns over President Donald Trump's escalating tariff disputes.
The Nikkei 225 gained 239.85 points to open at 37,686.66.
In the US, April saw an increase in job openings to 7.391 million, signaling strong demand for labor; however, a concurrent rise in layoffs hints at a potential softening of the job market amid tariff-induced economic uncertainties.
At home, Toyota Motor (TYO:7203) is moving to privatize Toyota Industries (TYO:6201) for a total of 4.7 trillion yen, aiming to expedite its transformation into a mobility company, with a new holding company formed by Toyota Fudosan set to manage the tender offer.
This comes as President Trump signed a directive to raise steel and aluminum tariffs to 50% from 25%, effective Wednesday, a move that has already driven up domestic metal prices.