TOKYO, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 1.6 percent on Friday, helped by what some market players said was buying of futures and a slight softening of the yen against the dollar.
Stronger-than-expected U.S. data on jobless benefits and trade added to investor confidence, market players said, with blue-chip exporters leading the market's advance.
The benchmark Nikkei ended the day 140.78 points higher at 9,239.17, pulling away from a 16-month low of 8,796.45 hit on Sept. 1.
The broader Topix gained 0.8 percent to 833.72. (Reporting by Shinichi Saoshiro; Editing by Michael Watson)