Tokyo shares ended the morning session higher on Thursday, following overnight gains in the U.S. stocks market and hopes about cooperate earnings here.

The 225-issue Nikkei gained 68.18 points, or 0.34 percent, from Wednesday to 20,202.08, after briefly hitting 20,252.12, its highest intraday level since April 2000.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was up 7.33 points, or 0.45 percent, to 1,629. 12.