Nikkei 225 Opens 1.2% Higher; South Korean Markets Closed

With Seoul's market shut, the Japanese open is effectively the region's only live price signal for the day, which tends to amplify the weight traders place on a single index move. The absence of any stated driver is itself the notable part: a gain of this size without an identifiable catalyst leaves the question of whether it reflects genuine risk appetite or simply thin, holiday-adjacent conditions. Whether the advance holds once fuller regional participation returns is the open question.