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The US Federal Reserve's decision to keep interest rates low for some time and an anticipated further loosening of monetary policy by the Bank of Japan helped Asian stocks higher on Wednesday.
There was also some cheer from Europe, where the threat of a downgrade for Greece's debt rating was lifted, while European Union finance chiefs backed a plan to help the troubled nation.
Tokyo shares were 0.69 percent higher by the break, while Hong Kong was up 0.74 percent and Sydney added 0.73 percent.
Japan's central bank was due later Wednesday to wrap up a two-day policy meeting with speculation strong that it will announce fresh measures to provide more money to banks to boost the stuttering economy and fight deflation.
It is also widely expected to keep interest rates at record low levels in a bid to maintain Japan's recovery from deep recession.
"The overall mood is positive, although the market has already priced in hopes for monetary easing," Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities, told Dow Jones Newswires.
Honda was unchanged at 3,245 yen despite recalling an estimated 412,000 vehicles in the United States because of problems with "soft" brakes.
But Toyota added 0.84 percent to 3,580 yen after soaring 1.28 percent on Tuesday as traders said worries were slowly receding about the car giant's global recall crisis.
Shanghai added 0.38 percent in early trade, with continued bargain hunting following recent losses, although gains were capped by lingering concerns Beijing will move to tighten liquidity.
There were also strong gains in Seoul, Taipei and Singapore.
Regional markets were given a strong cue from Wall Street, which jumped 0.41 percent on Tuesday after the Fed pledged to keep interest rates at the "exceptionally low" zero to 0.25 percent range for "an extended period".
Before the opening in New York the government released data showing new home construction starts were down 5.9 percent in February but 0.2 percent above the February 2009 rate.
A separate report showed prices of goods imported into the US fell 0.3 percent, the first decline in seven months, compared with a revised 1.3 percent January gain.
Concerns began to recede for fiscally embattled Greece after Standard & Poor's lifted its threat of an imminent downgrade of the country's debt rating, dealers said.
The international agency maintained Greece's credit ratings, saying Athens' austerity budget was "appropriate" for achieving its 2010 fiscal target.
In Brussels European finance ministers backed a plan to make emergency loans available to Greece, if needed, to shield the country from bankruptcy, describing the rescue plan as a necessary evil.
The Fed's decision boosted the dollar, which rose to 90.33 yen in Tokyo morning trade from 90.28 yen late Tuesday in New York, where the greenback fell as appetite for risk grew.
The euro was quoted at 1.3769 dollars from 1.3774 dollars in New York, while rising to 124.49 yen from 124.30.
Oil was higher, with New York's main contract, light sweet crude for April delivery, gaining 21 cents to 81.83 dollars a barrel and Brent North Sea crude 19 cents higher at 80.67 dollars.
The price of black gold was boosted by a report showing rising demand in the United States, the world's biggest energy consumer.
Meanwhile, oil cartel OPEC is expected to freeze its production ceiling when it meets later in the day, saying it is happy with prices trading above 80 dollars.
Gold opened at 1,127.00-1,128.00 US dollars an ounce, up from Tuesday's close of 1,112.00-1,113.00 US dollars an ounce.
