TOKYO, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average

extended gains on Thursday, with robot makers leading the charge

on renewed bets of growth in robotics platforms.

The Nikkei climbed 1.2% to 50,448.83 by 0120 GMT,

taking its year-to-date gains to about 26.5%. The broader Topix

was up 1.2% at 3,374.23.

Robot maker Fanuc ( FANUF ) rose 8%, leading the gains on the

Nikkei. It has surged more than 13% this week after the company

announced a partnership with U.S. chip giant Nvidia ( NVDA ) for

the development of industrial robots.

"The market focus has shifted to robotics-related shares

from chip-related. This means investors keep looking for new

themes," said Kazuaki Shimada, chief strategist at IwaiCosmo

Securities.

Fanuc's ( FANUF ) peer Yaskawa Electric ( YASKF ) jumped 9% to become

the top percentage gainer on the Nikkei, while Nabtesco ( NCTKF )

jumped 10.35% to become the top percentage gainer on the Tokyo

Stock Exchange's (TSE) prime market. Technology investor

SoftBank Group rose 5.6%.

Chip-testing equipment maker Advantest ( ADTTF ) fell 2.23%.

"The market is not rising in a broad-based rally these days,

but if investors sell some shares, they buy others, which means

the money is rotating," Shimada said.

Banks rebounded from the previous session's declines, with

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group ( MUFG ) and Sumitomo Mitsui

Financial Group ( SMFG ) up 0.95% and 0.91%, respectively.

Drug maker Sumitomo Pharma ( DNPUF ) fell 3.38% to become the

biggest percentage loser on the Nikkei. Fibre optic cable maker

Furukawa Electric ( FUWAF ) slipped 2.8%.

Of the more than 1,600 stocks trading on the TSE's prime

market, 75% rose, 21% fell, and 3% traded flat.