Japanese shares rise; tech shares surge

Japanese shares rose on Tuesday morning as worries about a trade war eased on optimism that the US and China could begin negotiations, helping trade-exposed sectors such as chip manufacturers.

The Nikkei surged 1.8 per cent to 21,128.90 in midmorning trade, reports Reuters.

Tech stocks outperformed, with Tokyo Electron soaring 3.8 per cent and Advantest Corp jumping 5.0 per cent, respectively. Silicon maker Sumco surged 4.1 per cent.

Japanese stocks, particularly the tech sector, were battered last week after US President Donald Trump decided to impose tariffs on Chinese goods.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said on Monday it and the United States should maintain negotiations, reiterating pledges to ease access for American businesses.

Construction equipment maker Komatsu soared 5.0 per cent, Panasonic surged 4.7 per cent and Toyota Motor Corp gained 2.3 per cent.

The broader Topix advanced 1.9 per cent to 1,702.37.