Tokyo's benchmark index jumped 1.4 percent on Monday as investors cheered news that pro-European Emmanuel Macron has taken a lead over far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the French presidential race.

The Nikkei 225 added 270.21 points to sit at 18,890.96 in the first few minutes of trading, while the broader Topix index of all first-section issues rose 1.25 percent, or 18.66 points, to 1,507.24.