TOKYO, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks finished higher on Friday over reports that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's cabinet will approve a record economic stimulus package later in the day.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average finished 147.21 points, or 0.50 percent, higher from Thursday at 29,745.87.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed 9.01 points, or 0.44 percent, higher at 2,044.53.

Trading volume on the main section decreased to 1,196.35 million shares from Thursday's 1,220.40 million shares.

Tokyo stocks opened higher but moved without a clear direction in the morning. Stocks attacked upward later the day, supported by a positive reaction to the record 55.7 trillion yen (490 billion U.S. dollars) stimulus package, brokers said.

The larger-than-expected size reported the previous day has raised hopes for its impact in stimulating consumption through policies such as restarting "Go To Travel," a government subsidy program to promote local tourism. However, the gains in the stock market were limited due to the absence of further trading cues, they said.

"The stimulus was welcomed but the market is waiting for the government to show its future direction," said Kazuo Kamitani, a strategist in the Investment Content Department of Nomura Securities Co., adding that the reported package focused more on relief measures from the pandemic than economic growth itself.

He said that market participants were closely watching for specific positive steps in the package, especially in the field of economic security including securing semiconductors and promoting quantum technologies.

By the close of play, mining, wholesale trade, and precision instrument sectors headed the increase. Gaining issues outnumbered losing ones 1,059 to 1,025 on the First Section, while 99 finished unchanged.

Following Shohei Ohtani, a Japanese baseball player in the U.S. major leagues, was named Most Valuable Player, his sponsor Asics, which provides goods for the Los Angeles Angels two-way star, rose 3.4 percent.

Mizuho Financial Group dropped 1.9 percent after news reported that the group's president and CEO Tatsufumi Sakai and Mizuho Bank head Koji Fujiwara would step down to take responsibility for a series of system failures. Enditem

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