On Wednesday, the Nikkei 225 Index experienced a 0.7% rise, surpassing the 38,000 mark, while the Topix Index increased by 0.6% to reach 2,814. This marked the second consecutive session of growth for both indices. The uptick in Japanese stocks was influenced by a robust lead from Wall Street overnight, fueled by optimism surrounding a potentially less stringent approach to Trump's reciprocal tariffs. Concurrently, investors continued to scrutinize the Bank of Japan's monetary policy direction, particularly following the release of the minutes from the January meeting which indicated that policymakers remain receptive to additional interest rate hikes. The gains were primarily driven by consumer stocks, where Nintendo saw an impressive 5.3% rise, Sony Group climbed by 2.9%, and Fast Retailing increased by 1.2%. The technology sector also showed considerable progress, with notable performances from Disco Corp, Fujikura, Dena Co, Tokyo Electron, and SoftBank Group.