TOKYO, Aug. 3 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed sharply higher Monday as investors snapped-up bargains following the Nikkei's six-day losing streak, with a weak yen and robust Chinese factory activity data adding support.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average gained 485.38 points, or 2.24 percent, from Friday to close the day at 22,195.38.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, added 26.58 points, or 1.78 percent, to finish at 1,522.64.

Trading here got off to a bright start following Wall Street's upbeat lead late last week, which saw tech giants like Apple Inc. and Amazon outperform following solid earnings, local brokers said.

They added that following a lengthy losing streak, the market was primed for buybacks, with investors seeking out issues oversold during the Nikkei's downturn.

With the U.S. dollar dropping as low as 106.40 yen at one point during trading hours, exporters typically reliant on a weak yen to boost overseas profits when repatriated, found favor market strategists said.

"Following the Nikkei's recent fall, dip-buying served as the biggest driver for the market's rise," Chihiro Ota, general manager of investment research at SMBC Nikko Securities Inc., was quoted as saying, adding that the yen's retreat also played its part.

Market analysts here also said that the results of a private survey Monday showing China's manufacturing activity expanded at the fastest pace in almost a decade in July, helped underpinned a positive market mood here.

The Caixin/Markit manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) stood at 52.8 in July compared to June's reading of 51.2, marking its third straight month of expansion.

A readings above 50 indicates expansion, while those below signal contraction.

"Adding to the positive mood was a private survey released late morning showing that China's manufacturing activity in July expanded more than market expectations," Masahiro Ichikawa, senior strategist at Sumitomo Mitsui DS Asset Management Co., was quoted as saying.

By the close of play, marine transportation, farm and fishery, and information and communication-oriented issues comprised those that gained the most.

Among exporters rising on the yen's softer tone, Subaru accelerated 3.3 percent, while Honda Motor advanced 3.4 percent by the close.

Alps Alpine climbed 6.7 percent, following Apple Inc.'s quarterly results, while Murata Manufacturing Co. edged 0.02 percent higher after leaving unchanged its full-year operating profit forecast.

Bucking the upward trend, Seven & i Holdings Co. Ltd. lost 4.8 percent, after announcing it would buy U.S. gas stations Speedway from Marathon Petroleum.

Issues that rose outpaced those that fell by 1,736 to 398 on the First Section, while 38 ended the day unchanged.

On the main section on Monday, 1.322.65 billion shares changed hands, dropping from Friday's volume of 1.678 billion shares.

The turnover on the first trading day of the week came to 2.374 trillion yen (22.468 billion U.S. dollars). Enditem

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