File photo: AFP

Tokyo stocks opened higher on Thursday, tracking rallies on global stocks after news of positive trial results for a drug used in treating the new coronavirus.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index gained 1.61 percent or 319.23 points to 20,090.42 in early trade, while the broader Topix index was up 1.37 percent or 19.90 points at 1,469.05.