TOKYO, Jan 30 - Japan's Nikkei share average increased by 0.21% to 39,498.57 as investors bought chip-related stocks following Advantest's raised profit forecast.
Advantest, a supplier to Nvidia, raised its full-year operating profit forecast by 37%, driven by strong AI chip testing demand. Its shares rose 2.18%, despite a 13% decline earlier this week.
The broader Topix index also saw a slight increase of 0.15% to 2,779.78. However, SoftBank Group weighed down the Nikkei, falling 1.05%. Out of 225 Nikkei components, 128 rose while 95 fell.
Stronger Nasdaq futures during Asian trading supported the market, although concerns lingered from the recent rise of Chinese AI startup DeepSeek, which has affected investor confidence in tech stocks.
(Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)