Tokyo stocks advance in morning as tech shares rise, yen weakens

TOKYO, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks rose Friday morning, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index briefly hitting around a seven-and-a-half month high as technology shares advanced and the yen retreated against the U.S. dollar lifting exporters.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average added 221.51 points, or 0.97 percent, from Thursday to 23,042.83.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, gained 17.82 points, or 1.04 percent, at 1,727.84.

Electric machinery, marine transportation, and machinery-oriented issues comprised those that gained the most by the morning break.