TOKYO, June 9 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose

on Tuesday, as chip-related heavyweights recovered from heavy

losses in the previous session.

The Nikkei was up 0.95% to 64,635.71 as of 0209 GMT,

after closing 3.85% lower in the previous session, posting its

largest loss in three months.

The index was choppy earlier in the session, inching down as

much as 0.16%.

The broader Topix rose 0.5% to 3,871.78.

Chip-making equipment maker Tokyo Electron ( TOELF ) jumped

7.3% and chip-testing equipment maker Advantest ( ADTTF ) gained

4.12%.

"Confidence for AI-related shares remains strong, but there

was caution for the fast-paced rally in the market earlier in

the session," said Kazuaki Shimada, chief strategist at

IwaiCosmo Securities.

"Investors might have sold stocks to raise money to buy SpaceX

ahead of its initial public offering this week," he said.

The Nikkei crossed above 68,000 to a record high earlier

this month on optimism for the growth of AI-related shares. The

index has risen 28% so far this year.

The previous session's heavy sell-off followed sharp

declines in U.S. technology stocks at the end of last week.

Bucking the trend on Tuesday, technology investor SoftBank

Group fell 2.9%, weighing most on the Nikkei.

Robot maker Fanuc ( FANUF ) slipped 0.95%.

Financials rose as the market braces for the Bank of Japan's

interest rate hike at its policy meeting next week. Mitsubishi

UFJ Financial Group ( MUFG ) and Mizuho Financial Group ( MFG )

rose 0.5% and 1.4%, respectively.

Of more than 1,500 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock

Exchange's prime market, 57% rose, 39% fell, and 3% traded

flat.