(Updates for market close)

TOKYO, May 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average

rallied on Friday, supported by falling U.S. Treasury yields and

a weaker yen, but still lost ground for the week.

The gauge closed up 0.5%, trimming its five-day

slide to 1.6%, the first weekly decline in more than a month.

The broader Topix climbed 0.7% to 2,739.13, but

closed the week 0.9% lower.

"Rises in U.S. Treasury yields have paused and that buoyed

appetite for Japanese stocks," said Shuutarou Yasuda, a market

analyst at Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory.

"But for the index to rise higher next week and beyond, it

needs some new catalysts," he said.

U.S. Treasury yields fell overnight after a recent selloff

drew some buyers at more attractive levels, with 30-year yields

reaching the highest in 19 months earlier in the session.

The U.S. dollar rebounded after recent losses, pushing the

yen down 0.4% to 143.47, after it had briefly strengthened to

142.8 overnight.

A weaker Japanese currency tends to boost shares of

exporters, as it increases the value of overseas profits in yen

terms when firms repatriate them to Japan.

The Nikkei has fully recovered its losses since U.S.

President Donald Trump's April 2 tariff announcement, climbing

25% from its April 7 low to a peak on May 13.

"Investors turned cautious about the sharp gains and sold

stocks, but they bought stocks today as they were relieved to

see the peak of the Nikkei," said Takuro Hayashi, head of the

investment research department at IwaiCosmo Securities.

Among individual stocks, Uniqlo-brand owner Fast Retailing ( FRCOF )

rose 0.9%. Chip-related Tokyo Electron ( TOELF ) and

Advantest ( ADTTF ) gained 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively.

All but seven of Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33 industry

sub-indexes rose, with the nonferrous metals sector

jumping 3.5% to become the top performer.

Cable makers, a gauge for AI investments, advanced, with

Fujikura ( FKURF ) and Furukawa Electric ( FUWAF ) up 4.9% and

4.5%, respectively.