Nikkei rises as tech shares gain; soft yen helps mood

* Leopalace soars after Reno raises stake
* Suzuki falls on news of India antitrust probe on Maruti
Suzuki

By Ayai Tomisawa
TOKYO, May 22 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei edged up on
Wednesday morning as technology shares rose tracking their U.S.
counterparts, while the country's better-than-expected machinery
orders aided sentiment.
Since the White House added China's Huawei HWT.UL to a
trade blacklist last week, several global companies have
suspended business with the world's largest telecoms equipment
maker.
The United States has temporarily eased trade restrictions
on Huawei, however, to minimise disruptions for its customers.
The Nikkei share average .N225 gained 0.3% to 21,344.05 at
the midday break, staying in a narrow 21,150-21,450 range.
"Japan remains a hostage to global macro issues and cannot
really move until more clarity out of the U.S.-China trade
talks," said Takeo Kamai, head of execution services at CLSA
Securities Japan.
He said current investor focus was now on talks between
Japan and the United States scheduled for this weekend.
U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will visit Japan
on May 24 to meet Economy Minister Toshimitsu Motegi to
accelerate trade talks ahead of a leaders' summit a few days
later, two sources with direct knowledge of the plan said on
Monday. After a late-April meeting between President Donald Trump
and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump had said it was possible
for the two allies to reach a new bilateral trade deal by the
time he visits Tokyo in late May.
Japan's core machinery orders, regarded as an indicator of
capital spending in the coming six to nine months, rose 3.8% in
March, data showed on Wednesday, confounding expectations for a
0.7 percent decline. Advantest Corp 6857.T rose 1.6%, Murata Manufacturing
6981.T added 1.6%, while Sumco Corp 3436.T advanced 0.8%.
The dollar hit a two-week high of 110.675 yen JPY= during
the previous session. In Wednesday Asian trade, the dollar was
up 0.1% at 110.59 yen.
Leopalace 21 8848.T soared nearly 4% after filings showed
that Reno KK raised its stake in the company to 14.13% from
12.56%.
Suzuki Motor Corp 7269.T tumbled 4.9% after sources told
Reuters that India's antitrust regulator was looking into
allegations that Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS resorted to
anti-competitive practices by controlling how its dealers
discounted cars. Suzuki Motor is its majority owner.
The broader Topix .TOPX rose 0.1% to 1,551.05.

(Editing by Jacqueline Wong)