Tokyo  - Stocks opened higher Monday in Tokyo on mainly export-oriented issues on the back of a weak yen and Wall Street's gains before the weekend.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average soared 225.96 points, or 1.72 per cent, to 13,394.37.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also up 16.31 points, or 1.29 per cent, at 1,276.24.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 109.65-70 yen, down from Friday's 5 pm quote of 109.84-85 yen.

New Delhi  - Indian authorities have issued a birth certificate to a Japanese baby born to an Indian surrogate mother, easing the way for her Japanese father to take her home, news reports said Saturday.

The certificate was issued by the municipal authorities in Anand town of western Gujarat state, where 16-day-old Manji was born, in the name of her father biological Ikufumi Yamada, IANS news agency reported.

Manji, who was shifted to a hospital in another Indian town, Jaipur, days after she was born, is at the centre of a legal wrangle as India does not have any surrogacy laws.

Tokyo - Some 5,400 people gathered at Peace Park in southern Japanese city of Nagasaki Saturday to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of 1945 atomic bombing.

Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue called on the world's leaders to abandon nuclear weapons.

As a nation once devastated by nuclear weapons, "Japan has a mission and a responsibility to take initiative in eradicating nuclear weapons," Taue said.

Tokyo - Indonesian nurses and care-givers planning to train and pursue a career in Japan said Friday they hoped to break down barriers of prejudice for more of their compatriots follow.

"As a group of pioneers (in this project), we are hoping to gradually change Japan's mindset so that more of our counterparts can be easily accepted to work here for a long term," Erli Ridwan, 35, said at a press conference at Tokyo's Japan Press Centre Friday.

Ridwan arrived in Japan Thursday, along with 204 other Indonesian nurses and care-givers to start working in Japan's medical sector.

Tokyo - Tokyo stocks opened lower Friday on overnight falls in the US market.

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average dipped 74.03 points, or 0.56 per cent, in morning trading to 13,050.96.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was also down 10.96 points, or 0.87 per cent, at 1,247.85.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar was quoted at 109.33-38 yen, down from Thursday's 5 pm quote of 109.44-46 yen.

New Delhi, August 7 : Japanese women have topped the world''''s longevity ranks for 23 years on the back of healthy food habits and tight social ties, among other factors.

A Japanese Health Ministry report suggests that girls born last year can expect to live until they are 86 years old, which would make them the longest survivors in the world.

The report also suggests that boys born in 2007 can expect to live until they are 79.2 years old, ranking third after Iceland and Hong Kong.

Government data shows that a tenth of Japan’s population is aged 75 years or older.