Asian markets today: Kospi up 1%, Nikkei rises 2% to hit new record high of 71,000

Japan's Nikkei 225 surged 2% to cross the 71,000 mark for the first time, hitting a new record high. The broader Topix index rose 1.27%, while South Korea's Kospi was up 1%, signalling strong bullish momentum across major Asian markets.