Tokyo shares opened sharply higher on Tuesday, with the key Nikkei index up over one percent shortly after opening.

In the first 15 minutes of trading, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average index rose 187.32, or 1.10 percent, to 17,196.87.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 19.13 points, or 1.13 percent, to 1,713.21.