Japan's benchmark stock index continued to rise Friday morning after hitting a five-year high the previous day. The U.S. dollar rose against the yen.

The Nikkei 225 index climbed 193.33 points, or 1.28 percent, to 15,323.83 points at the end of morning trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. On Thursday, the index rose 258.35 points, or 1.74 percent, to 15,323.83 - the Nikkei's highest close since December 2000.

On top of Wall Street's overnight rally, investors took a cue from the dollar's gains against the yen, which boosts exporters' foreign-earned income when repatriated to Japan.

Semiconductor-making equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron Ltd. rose 3.70 percent to 7,570 yen, consumer electronics maker Matsushita Electric Industrial Ltd. notched up 2.06 percent to 2,480 yen, and Sharp Corp. climbed 1.23 percent to 1,899 yen.

Japan's top nonferrous metal smelter Mitsubishi Materials Corp. rose 2.40 percent to 511 yen, while Toyota Motor Corp. rose 0.85 percent to 5,900 yen.

Wall Street saw stocks soar on Thursday as investors welcomed inflation-friendly economic data and hoped the November rally would continue through year-end.

Investors were heartened by a finding in the U.S. Commerce Department's personal income and spending report showing scant inflationary pressures. The data left the market feeling that consumers could be well positioned for a strong holiday shopping season, while lower prices could bring an end to the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 106.70, or 0.99 percent, to 10,912.57 at Thursday's close. The move nearly reversed the market's previous three days of losses.

In Tokyo currency trading, the U.S. dollar was trading at 120.60 yen on the foreign exchange market at 11 a.m. (0200 GMT) Friday, up 0.16 yen from late Thursday in New York. The euro fell to US$1.1724 from US$1.1733 in New York.

The yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds rose to 1.4800 percent from Thursday's finish of 1.4750 percent. The price fell 0.04 point to 100.17.

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