TOKYO, June 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average

rose on Friday, as a weaker yen underpinned sentiment, while

demand for the index futures ahead of the fixing of special

quotation prices lifted the benchmark cash index.

The Nikkei was up 0.47% to 37,730.67 by the midday

break and is set to fall 1% for the week.

The broader Topix rose 0.56% to 2,771.81 and is

poised to fall 1.6%.

The Nikkei received technical support ahead of the June 13

fixing of special quotation prices, used to set values on index

options and futures, said Seiichi Suzuki, chief equity market

analyst at Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory.

"Foreigners, who shorted the Nikkei futures, bought them

back ahead of the fixing day, which also lifted the Nikkei

index," he said.

The Nikkei average futures rose 0.59%.

A weaker yen was also a support for local equities, said

Shigetoshi Kamada, general manager at the research department at

Tachibana Securities.

The yen was last traded down 0.23% at 143.885 per

dollar.

Chip-related heavyweights Tokyo Electron ( TOELF ) and

Advantest ( ADTTF ) rose 1.28% and 0.98%, respectively.

Automakers rose, with Honda Motor ( HMC ) and Nissan Motor ( NSANF )

gaining 1.19% and 1.38%, respectively, while Toyota

Motor ( TM ) inched up 0.17%.

Flea market app operator Mercari ( MRCIF ) jumped 5.94% to

become the top percentage gainer on the Nikkei, while Oriental

Land ( OLCLF ), the operator of Tokyo Disneyland, rose 2.95%.

"When caution persists over the upside of the Nikkei,

investors, particularly individuals, tend to look at smaller and

domestic-led companies," said Tachibana Securities Kamada.

Panasonic Holdings ( PCRFF ), a supplier of batteries for

Tesla, lost 3.58% after Tesla shares plunged 14.3%

Shares of ispace were untraded after the moon

exploration company said that its uncrewed moon lander likely

crashed onto the moon's surface during its lunar touchdown

attempt. The stock reached to a limit-low of 744 yen.