Asian shares rose Thursday, buoyed by optimism that the U.S.-Japan tariff agreement will be followed by more trade deals. Japan’s Nikkei 225 surged nearly 2% to 41,983.50. The Shanghai Composite Index added 0.

President Trump has announced a flurry of trade deals that will relieve some pressure on companies and consumers from sharply higher tariffs on imports from Japan and a handful of other Asian countries.

TOKYO (AP) — Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday vowed to remain in power to oversee the implementation of a new Japan-U.S. tariff agreement, despite media speculation and growing calls for him to resign after a historic defeat of his governing party.

The European Union and Japan will work more closely to counter economic coercion and address unfair trade practices, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters on Wednesday. Von der Leyen's comments came after an EU-Japan summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba as the EU struggles to conclude a trade deal with the United States and a day before potentially tough meetings with Chinese leaders.