Tokyo: Japanese stock indices closed higher on Tuesday following the conclusion of the Bank of Japan's monetary policy meeting. The central bank decided to keep short-term interest rates steady at 0.5 percent and announced it would halve the pace of its bond purchases starting in April 2026.

According to Qatar News Agency, the Nikkei 225 index rose by 0.59 percent, gaining 225.41 points to close at 38,536.74. During the session, it touched 38,581 points, marking its highest level since February 21. The broader Topix index also ended the day higher, up 0.35 percent or 9.82 points, closing at 2,786.95.

In currency markets, the US dollar strengthened against the Japanese yen by about 0.1 percent in morning trading, reaching 144.87 yen. Meanwhile, the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds rose by more than one basis point to 1.478 percent.

Chipmakers were among the top performers on the Nikkei. Shares of Disco surged 6.34 percent, Tokyo Electron climbed 2.94 percent, and Advantest gained 2.43 percent.