The Nikkei index (.N225) jumped 2.2% to end at 32,217.43, its highest close since July 1990 and posted its biggest daily gain since Jan. 18. "The market was supported by the gains in the U.S. market on Friday. That helped keep the money flowing into risk assets in Japan," said Shigetoshi Kamada, general manager at the research department at Tachibana Securities. Hence, when U.S. shares rise, there is no reason for not buying Japanese stocks, Kamada added. All but one of the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33-sector sub-indexes rose, with machineries (.IMCHN.T) rising 3.12% to lead the gains.

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Persons: Shigetoshi Kamada, Kamada, Fanuc, Junko Fujita, Janane Venkatraman, Sohini Organizations: Nikkei, Bank of Japan, Tachibana Securities, The Bank of, Reserve, Tokyo, Screen Holdings, Tokyo Stock, Utilities, Tokyo Electric Power Holdings, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, U.S, Japan, The Bank of Japan, Washington, Philadelphia