Tokyo stocks opened sharply higher Friday, following overnight gains on Wall Street and in Europe on hints of additional European Central Bank stimulus and a rise in oil prices from 12-year lows.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index at the Tokyo Stock Exchange advanced 3.20 percent, or 512.12 points, to 16,529.38 in opening deals, while the broader Topix index of all first-section shares gained 3.18 percent, or 41.40 points, to 1,342.89.