Asian shares mostly higher, lockdown feud drags Tokyo lower

BANGKOK (AP) — Shares were mostly higher in Asia on Thursday though Japan’s benchmark fell as local leaders sparred with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s government over measures to contain the coronavirus outbreak. After a 3.4% overnight rally on Wall Street, markets advanced in Hong Kong, Sydney and Shanghai. Investors seem reassured by signs that deaths and infections may be nearing a peak or plateau in some of the world’s hardest-hit areas. And a meeting of oil producers planned for Thursday has raised hopes energy companies might get some relief in the form of production cuts to help support crude prices amid collapsing demand. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index lost 0.3%, to 19,298.64, after the...