Japanese stocks are rising on bets the government will unveil a stimulus package that could be double the size initially expected.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is looking to compile a package of at least 20 trillion yen ($186bn; £141bn) according to the Kyodo News agency.

The world's third-largest economy is still trying to emerge from deflation.

Both the benchmark Nikkei 225 and broader Topix indexes rose 1% at the open.

In the currency market, the Japanese yen fell to a six-week low against the US dollar.

Over in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.6% while New Zealand stocks also gained 0.6%.

South Korea's Kospi is trading flat.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng is 0.6% and the Shanghai Composite is up 0.2%.

Malaysia's share market is the only one trading lower after US authorities said the country's state investment fund 1MDB misappropriated billions of dollars.

Published Date:2016-07-21