(by Sh. Nakata)

Japan shares rose today on banking and brokerage sector

The Nikkei average rose 44.85 points to 10,953.55, The broader index TOPIX index added 0.31% to 1,105.02.

Japan’s biggest banking group, Mizuho Financial Group Inc. gained 1.9% to 422,000 yen.

Shares of UFJ Holdings Inc., the country’s fourth-largest bank, climbed 4.75% to 463,000 yen. UFJ had narrowed the list of potential buyers for its consumer finance unit Aplus Co. to Shinsei Bank Ltd., HSBC Holdings Plc and U.S. fund Lone Star. Shares of Aplus soared 11.3% to 273 yen.

Shares of MTFG rose 2.8% to 954,000 yen, shares of SMFG was up 1.8% at 637,000 yen.

Shares of exporters were mixed to lower. Sony slipped 1.1% to 3,650 yen and Canon fell 0.8% to 5,090 yen. Shares of Toshiba rose 0.8% to 392 yen.