"Investors in the Japanese market care more about the U.S. economy than European issues"
- Yoshihisa Okamoto, a fund manager at Mizuho Asset Management Co.
Japanese stocks edged higher on Monday after better than expected U.S. nonfarm payrolls eased concerns the world's largest economy is slowing.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 2.00 per cent, or 171.18 points, to 8,726.29. The broader Topix Index improved 1.63 per cent, or 11.79, to 735.73.
The jobs data "was quite good and is fueling investor confidence," said Yoshihisa Okamoto, a fund manager at Mizuho Asset Management Co. in Tokyo.
"Investors in the Japanese market care more about the U.S. economy than European issues."
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