Nikkei 225 Opens 0.3% Higher; Korean Markets Closed for Holiday

With Seoul shut, Tokyo alone carries the region's risk signal, thinning liquidity and making the Nikkei's move a less reliable read on broader Asian sentiment than on a normal session. The modest gain matters less than the absence of a Korean cross-check, which typically anchors tech and export-linked positioning. Whether the Tokyo benchmark holds its early advance without Seoul's participation is the open question.