Nikkei gains 0.6 pct on tech shares, yen; JT slips

                                
 * High-techs boosted by solid earnings from Oracle, RIM
                                
 * Retail investors buy consumer-linked shares
                                
 * Nikkei could reach 10,400-500 by year-end -strategist
                                
 * Japan Tobacco down after report of tobacco tax hike
                                
 By Aiko Hayashi
                                
 TOKYO, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.6
percent on Monday, boosted by gains in high-tech stocks such as
Advantest Corp <6857.T> after rises in U.S. rivals late last
week, while a firmer dollar against the yen lifted exporters.
                                
 The number of institutional investors and overseas players in
the market was falling and retail investors chased
consumer-linked shares such as Fast Retailing <9983.T>, operator
of budget fashion chain Uniqlo.
                                
 "The market is up, reflecting gains in exporters on a weaker
yen, but overall trade remains slow as foreign investors, who are
the main players in the market, are inactive due to the Christmas
holiday," said Masaru Hamasaki, a senior strategist at Toyota
Asset Management.
                                
 "Still, I expect the Nikkei to end the year a bit higher than
current levels, say, at around 10,400-500, as the dollar's
appreciation will likely continue and that will probably push up
exporters even further."
                                
 The Nikkei <.N225> advanced 60.83 points to 10,202.88, while
the broader Topix <.TOPX> inched up 0.1 percent to 894.54.
                                
 U.S. stocks rose on Friday as quarterly results from Oracle
<ORCL.O> and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion <RIMM.O>
<RIM.TO> lifted the Nasdaq more than 1 percent, but the dollar's
climb curbed gains in both the Dow and the S&P 500. [.N]
                                
 The dollar was steady against the yen in Asian trade, staying
above the 90 yen level, as investors who sold the U.S. currency
for most of this year were buying back before the year-end.
[FRX/]
                                
 "Investors are waiting for data due later this week,
including a domestic labour report and U.S. personal incomes,"
said Hajime Nakajima, deputy general manager at Cosmo Securities.
                                
 "The market's focal point is whether Santa Claus will bring
us favourable economic figures."
                                
 TECH STOCKS GAIN
                                
 Among high-tech shares, Tokyo Electron Ltd <8035.T>, the
world's No.2 semiconductor equipment maker, climbed 2.4 percent
to 5,510 yen and chip-tester maker Advantest gained 1.8 percent
to 2,230 yen.
                                
 Electronics parts maker Kyocera Corp <6971.T> added 1.3
percent to 7,970 yen, while TDK Corp <6762.T> rose 1.1 percent to
5,510 yen.
                                
 A fall in the yen tends to help exporters' shares as it
increases the value of overseas profits in yen terms when firms
repatriate them to Japan.
                                
 Nishimatsuya Chain Co <7545.T> jumped 8.5 percent to 813 yen
after the children's apparel retailer said it would buy back
shares worth up to 200 million yen ($2.2 million).
                                
 Other consumer-linked shares rose on demand from retail
investors. Fast Retailing climbed 2.1 percent to 15,970 yen.
                                
 Arc Land Sakamoto <9842.T> rose 4.4 percent to 1,014 yen
after the operator of home improvement stores raised its
full-year operating profit forecast citing better cost control.
                                
 But shares of Japan Tobacco <2914.T> slipped 0.3 percent to
294,700 yen after the Nikkei business daily reported that a
Japanese government tax panel is considering raising the tobacco
tax by about 2 yen per cigarette. [ID:nTO15000]
 (Additional reporting by Rika Otsuka; Editing by Michael
Watson)