TOKYO, June 25 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 1.6 percent on Thursday, with Aozora Bank and Shinsei Bank jumping on news that they were in merger talks and tech shares tracking their U.S. peers higher.
The Nikkei gained 151.55 points to 9,741.87 by the midday break.
The broader Topix rose 1.5 percent to 916.34. (Reporting by Masayuki Kitano)