The Nikkei 225 jumped more than 3% to around 53,700 on Tuesday, while the broader Topix Index rose 2% to 3,585, with Japanese equities pushing to new all-time highs as markets reopened after a holiday-extended weekend. Demand for local stocks remained strong as Japanese firms are seen as major beneficiaries of advances in artificial intelligence and other cutting edge technologies, while overseas investors are seeking higher earnings and growth prospects in the country. Technology shares led the rally, with Advantest jumping 9.6%, SoftBank Group gaining 4.3% and Tokyo Electron climbing 7.5%. Other heavyweight stocks also advanced, including Toyo Engineering up 3.2%, Mitsubishi UFJ rising 3.5% and Toyota Motor adding 4.8%. Meanwhile, political uncertainty lingered amid speculation that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi could dissolve parliament as soon as next month.