Nikkei holds near 2-wk closing high, techs gain

                                
 * High-techs climb after Nasdaq gains for 11 days in a row
                                
 * Caution sets in following Nikkei's 6-day rise
                                
 * Investors await domestic corporate earnings results
                                
 By Rika Otsuka
                                
 TOKYO, July 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average edged
up 0.1 percent on Thursday, holding near a two-week closing high
as tech firms such as Kyocera Corp <6971.T> gained after U.S.
bellwethers such as Apple Inc <AAPL.O> posted solid quarterly
earnings.
                                
 But investors were cautious, with some preferring to book
profits after a six-day rising streak for the Nikkei and as
Japan's corporate earnings announcement season moves into higher
gear. Mobile phone operator KDDI Corp <9433.T> is scheduled to
announce after the close.
                                
 "Japanese shares are still lagging a rise in global shares.
But investors are preferring to lock in profits now as they
nervously await domestic corporate earnings reports," said
Masayoshi Yano, senior market analyst at Meiwa Securities.
 The benchmark Nikkei <.N225> rose 12.81 points to 9,735.97
after marking its highest close since July 3 the previous day.
The Nikkei has gained more than 7 percent in a six-day run
through to Wednesday, following a rally in U.S. shares on upbeat
earnings results.
                                
 The broader Topix <.TOPX> firmed 0.1 percent to 907.46.
                                
 "The Nikkei's recent rally owes more to overseas factors than
domestic ones. As such, a fall in U.S. shares could easily push
it down below 9,500," said Norihiro Fujito, general manager of
investment research and information division at Mitsubishi UFJ
Securities.
                                
 High-tech shares and computer makers advanced as investors
took their cue from gains in the tech-heavy Nasdaq, which rose on
Wednesday for an 11th straight day buoyed by solid profits from
Apple and Starbucks Corp <SBUX.O>.
                                
 Electronics parts maker Kyocera advanced 2.9 percent to 7,210
yen. Electronics conglomerate NEC Corp <6701.T> jumped 4.3
percent to 313 yen, while Fujitsu Ltd <6702.T> rose 3.4 percent
to 543 yen.
                                
 Japan Tobacco Inc <2914.T> dropped 3.5 percent to 262,600
yen, and one market analyst cited growing concerns about the
chances of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan taking power
in an Aug. 30 election.
                                
 Toyo Tanso Co Ltd <5310.T> soared 13.1 percent to 4,320 yen
after Credit Suisse lifted its rating on the maker of carbon
materials to "outperform" from "underperform" citing an expected
increase in demand for its products used in light-emitting
diodes, silicon wafers and solar cells.
                                
 Trade was light, with 918 million shares changing hands on
the Tokyo exchange's first section compared with last week's
morning average of 1 billion.
                                
 Declining shares narrowly outnumbered advancing ones, 762 to
714.
 (Reporting by Rika Otsuka; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)