This file photo shows the Tokyo Stock Exchange. (Mainichi)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks on Tuesday extended their winning streak to four days, with the Nikkei ending at a seven-week high, as sentiment was lifted by the yen's weakening against the U.S. dollar, although rises were capped as some investors locked in gains.

       The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended up 31.32 points, or 0.11 percent, from Monday at 29,808.12, its highest close since Sept. 28. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 2.31 points, or 0.11 percent, higher at 2,050.83.

       Gainers were led by mining, transportation equipment and insurance issues.

       The dollar remained strong in the lower 114 yen range in Tokyo on speculation that a rise in U.S. Treasury yields would widen the interest rate gap between the United States and Japan, dealers said.

       The Nikkei index initially tracked overnight declines on Wall Street, but it fluctuated around the previous day's closing level mostly throughout the day as its downside was supported by buying of export-related issues aided by the yen's weakness, brokers said.

       The benchmark was weighed down by investors locking in gains as it inched up toward the 30,000 mark, brokers said.

       "Stocks were top-heavy amid a lack of fresh trading cues, although the meeting between the United States and China provided some support to the market," said Masahiro Yamaguchi, head of investment research at SMBC Trust Bank.

       U.S. President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping held talks online Monday for the first time since Biden took office in January, as part of efforts to manage the intensifying rivalry between their countries over issues ranging from trade to human rights and Taiwan.

       Although there were no stand-out developments, investors saw the interaction as positive as they had largely been focused on whether the talks would be amicable, Yamaguchi added.

       On the First Section, declining issues outnumbered advancers 1,189 to 890, while 104 ended unchanged.

       Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group climbed 3.2 yen, or 0.5 percent, to 648.4 yen after revising upward Monday its profit forecast for the business year through March from its previous estimate in May.

       Among export-oriented issues, automakers Toyota Motor rose 39.5 yen, or 1.9 percent, to 2,141.5 yen and Isuzu Motors climbed 21 yen, or 1.3 percent, to 1,648 yen, while electronics manufacturer Hitachi gained 93 yen, or 1.3 percent, to 7,365 yen.

       Trading volume on the main section rose to 1,190.59 million shares from Monday's 1,163.41 million shares.

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