The Nikkei 225 Index soared by 0.77% to end the week at 9,162.5 amid hopes for easing in China. Sending Japanese equities higher, Angela Merkel said on Thursday that she supports the ECB actions and will put any efforts necessary to preserve the Euro. Japan's stocks also found support on positive headlines from the US. Meanwhile, softer Yen helped exports to move higher. Eight out of ten sectors included in the index increased. Basic materials and industrials were the top-gainers, soaring by 2.04% and 1.61%. Among materials, Asahi Kasei, JFE Holdings and Mitsubishi Materials jumped 1.17%, 4.19% and 2.09%, respectively. Car makers also rose, with Honda and Mazda Motor edging up by 2.44% and 2.11% amid weak Japanese currency. At the same time, telecommunication and health care firms dragged the stock index lower. Nippon Telegraph & Telephone and Softbank sank 0.91% and 2.64% while Astellas Pharma slid 0.90%.