TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei share average surged to a record high on Tuesday, as markets played catch-up with Wall Street's recent two-day rally following a public holiday in the Asian nation earlier this week. Japanese investors, like global peers, mostly appeared undeterred by the U.S. Justice Department's criminal investigation of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. The Nikkei jumped as much as 3.6% to a record 53,814.79, and remained close to that level at 0053 GMT. The head of coalition partner Ishin said he met with Takaichi on Friday and that she may call an early election. Investor sentiment was further lifted by a sharply weaker yen than when Tokyo last closed on Friday, as a softer currency increases the value of overseas earnings for Japan's export-heavy corporations.
