UPDATE 1-Japan shares advance as COVID-19 vaccine trials bolster optimism

(Adds investor quote)
By Stanley White
TOKYO, July 21 (Reuters) - Japanese stocks rose on Tuesday
as signs of progress in developing a COVID-19 vaccine boosted
investor confidence about a recovery in the global economy.
The Nikkei index ended up 0.73% at 22,884.22, with the
healthcare and technology sectors leading the advance.
Initial findings from trials of three potential COVID-19
vaccines have shown encouraging results, raising hopes for a
medical solution to a global pandemic that has triggered a sharp
recession and caused more than half a million deaths.
"This is certainly a positive development for stocks, but
the upside is limited because we still don't know how long it
will take for a vaccine to be completed or how it will be
distributed," said Kiyoshi Ishigane, chief fund manager at
Mitsubishi UFJ Kokusai Asset Management Co.
"At this point, it's better to buy on dips instead of
aggressively chasing the upside."
There were 72 advancers on the Nikkei index against 148
decliners.
The largest percentage gainers in the index were
pharmaceutical firm Daiichi Sankyo Co Ltd 4568.T , up 5.63%,
followed by Z Internet services firm Holdings Corp 4689.T ,
gaining 5.39%, and silicon wafer maker Sumco Corp 3436.T , up
by 4.24%.
The largest percentage losers in the index were Taiheiyo
Cement Corp 5233.T , down 4.01%, followed by Nippon Steel Corp
5401.T , losing 3.33%, and auto maker Isuzu Motors Ltd
7202.T , down by 3.13%.
Shares of mobile phone network operators NTT Docomo Inc
9437.T , KDDI Corp 9433.T , and Softbank Corp 9434.T dropped
following a report that the Japanese government was considering
preventing wireless carriers from charging customers fees when
they switch providers.
The broader Topix .TOPX rose 0.36% to 1,582.74.
The volume of shares traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's
main board .TOPX was 1.15 billion, compared with the average
of 1.25 billion in the past 30 days.

(Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips and Subhranshu Sahu)