Tokyo, April 15 (QNA) - Japan's Nikkei index closed Wednesday's session at its highest level in more than a month, supported by expectations of a new round of peace talks between the United States and Iran, which boosted investor sentiment despite a decline in crude oil prices.

The Nikkei rose 0.44 percent to end the session at 58,134.24 points, its highest level since its record close on Feb. 27, nearly recouping all the losses it had incurred since the outbreak of the war between the United States and Iran the following day, after having risen by about 1.2 percent earlier in the session.

The broader Topix index also climbed 0.4 percent to 3,770.33 points.

Overnight, the Nasdaq index rose 2 percent, while the S&P 500 ended trading up 1 percent.

Shares of SoftBank Group, an investor in artificial intelligence technology, jumped 4.76 percent, while Advantest, a chip testing equipment manufacturer, gained 2.17 percent.

In contrast, Tokyo Electron, a chipmaking equipment manufacturer, fell 0.46 percent at the close, and Fast Retailing, the owner of the Uniqlo clothing brand, declined 0.38 percent.

Shares of memory chip maker Kioxia dropped 7.2 percent, although the stock is still up 70 percent so far this month.

Of the more than 1,600 stocks traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's main market, 64 percent rose, 32 percent fell, and 2 percent were unchanged. (QNA)