TOKYO, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average

closed at a more-than two-week high on Friday as auto shares

rose after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order to lower

tariffs on Japanese automobile shipments and other products.

The Nikkei rose 1.03% to close at 43,018.75, its

highest close since August 19. The index rose to an intraday

high of 43,220.94 soon after the opening.

The broader Topix rose 0.82% to 3,105.31.

"Investors welcomed the news about Trump's order to lower

tariffs on Japan's exports, but the gains at the open were too

much," said Shuji Hosoi, senior strategist at Daiwa

Securities.

Toyota Motor ( TM ) and Honda Motor ( HMC ) rose 1.98%

and 1.14%, respectively.

Chip-related shares rose, with Advantest ( ADTTF ) and Tokyo

Electron ( TOELF ) gaining 2.14% and 0.77%, respectively.

Daiwa Securities' Hosoi said the Nikkei could touch the

44,000 level next week, as sentiment was boosted by the lower

tariffs on Japanese products.

The index is also seen rebounding as it fell below its

25-day moving average earlier this week, Hosoi said.

The Nikkei hit a record high in August and traded above the

25-day moving average, a key support level in technical

analysis, for most of the month.

Of more than 1,600 stocks trading on the Tokyo Stock

Exchange's prime market, 67% rose, 28% fell, and 3% traded

flat.