TOKYO, Aug 6 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average rose back towards a 10-month high on Thursday, buoyed by gains in Honda Motor Co and other carmakers, but gains were capped by U.S. data suggesting recovery may be more shaky than hoped. Nikon Corp tumbled nearly 12 percent after warning on Wednesday its operating loss would be more than double its initial estimate this year as it wrote down the value of unsold chipmaking gear.
The benchmark Nikkei gained 0.9 percent or 94.83 points to 10,347.36 and rose as high as 10,377.69 in thin trade. On Tuesday it marked a 10-month closing high of 10,375.01. The broader Topix rose 0.5 percent to 954.66. (Reporting by Elaine Lies)