Asian Markets Mixed as Japan and South Korea Rise, Hong Kong Falls

Japan's Topix is up 0.9 percent, while the Nikkei 225 is up 1.2 percent.

South Korea's Kospi is up 1.7 percent by midday, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng is down 0.8 percent.

Shenzhen is up 0.1 percent, while Shanghai is down 0.2 percent.