Tokyo, July 30 (QNA) - Japan's Nikkei index closed higher in trading on Thursday, supported by strong earnings expectations for Advantest, which boosted semiconductor-related stocks, while bank shares weighed on the broader Topix index.

The Nikkei rose 0.71 percent to close at 61,867.43, while the Topix fell 0.54 percent to 3,952.5.

Advantest shares jumped 10.85 percent after the company raised its full-year operating profit forecast by 35 percent on Wednesday.

Shares of chipmaking equipment manufacturer Tokyo Electron also rose 4.48 percent, while memory chip maker Kioxia gained 2.92 percent, and Murata Manufacturing advanced 2.97 percent.

Meanwhile, banking shares declined, with shares of Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group each falling more than 3 percent.

Toyota Motor shares also fell 3 percent, while Nomura Research Institute, which specializes in systems integration, dropped 6.52 percent, making it the biggest percentage loser on the Nikkei.

Of the more than 1,500 stocks traded on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's Prime Market, 34 percent advanced, 63 percent declined, and 1 percent were little changed. (QNA)