TOKYO: Asian shares were mostly higher on Tuesday in quiet holiday trading, while Japan's benchmark rose to new records on hope for more government spending and lower taxes under Japan's first woman prime minister.

US futures slipped, and oil prices rose. Markets in mainland China and South Korea were closed.

Over the weekend, Japan's ruling Liberal Democrats chose conservative lawmaker Sanae Takaichi as their leader, likely making her the country's first woman prime minister. That pushed the Nikkei 225 index up nearly 5 per cent on Monday.

The Nikkei 225 added 0.3 per cent in afternoon trading to 48,083.08.

The ruling Liberal Democrats need coalition partners to stay in power, and politicians are manoeuvring ahead of a vote in the lower house of parliament later this month. It's uncl

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