TOKYO—Japanese shares rose Tuesday on growing optimism over the U.S. market following a rally on Wall Street, with investors unfazed by the earthquake in China.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 210.37 points, or 1.5 percent, to 13,953.73.
"The Nikkei index was supported by optimism over the U.S. market," said Tsuyoshi Segawa, an equity strategist at Shinko Securities Co. in Tokyo.
Despite China's devastating quake, which killed about 10,000 people, sentiment in Tokyo was upbeat, buoyed by the Dow's 1.0-percent rally Monday.
"The quake in China had no negative impact here because it did not seem to affect earnings of Japanese companies," Segawa said.
Traders said some investors stayed on the sidelines ahead of the release of key U.S. economic data, including April retail sales figures, which are due out later in the day. Investors were also cautious Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke and other U.S. central bank officials were to give speeches on the economy.
Among gainers, Japan's top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. rose 0.8 percent to 5,290 yen and Honda Motor Co. gained 1.6 percent to 3,220 yen.
Nissan Motor Co. rose 3.2 percent to 960 yen after the company announced its profits jumped 96 percent in the fiscal fourth quarter on healthy overseas sales.
Shares in bulldozer and other heavy equipment makers advanced on expectations of higher demand due to the cleanup and rebuilding from the Chinese quake.
Machinery company Komatsu Ltd. rose 3.9 percent to 3,220 yen. Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. jumped 5.2 percent to 3,420 yen.
The Topix index of all the Tokyo Stock Exchange First Section added 17.26 points, or 1.3 percent, to 1,360.05.
In currencies, the dollar was quoted at 103.72 yen midafternoon in Tokyo, compared with 103.84 yen in New York late Monday. The euro stood at US$1.5560, slightly up from US$1.5544 late Monday in New York.
