Nikkei ended 0.70 percent higher Thursday following a continuing weakening yen. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed up 74.07 points to 10,652. 64. The broader Topix index of all first-section shares advanced 1. 13 percent, or 9.97 points, to 889.02. The turnover was 1,515.4 billion yen (about 17.20 billion U.S. dollars).