TOKYO — Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed higher Wednesday, extending its recent advance as a weakening yen lifted bank shares and a late-session rally in artificial intelligence and semiconductor stocks helped push the market further into record territory. In the morning, selling pressure tied to rising crude oil prices offset buying driven by yen weakness, leaving the Nikkei 225 oscillating without clear direction for much of the session. The afternoon brought a more decisive shift higher, as buying intensified in high-priced artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related stocks. A weakening Japanese yen also played a significant role in Wednesday's advance, fueling expectations for additional interest rate increases from the Bank of Japan and boosting bank stocks in the process. That rally has drawn comparisons to what some market commentators have described as a "golden age" for Japanese stocks, with the market posting weekly gains of more than 2,000 points on multiple occasions earlier this year.