Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.4 percent on Thursday, a day after closing at its lowest in nearly four months, as blue-chip exporters gained on the dollar's climb above 93 yen for the first time in six weeks. Astellas Pharma rose after Nikko Citigroup (nyse: C - news - people ) raised its rating on the stock to 'buy/medium risk' from 'hold/medium risk', saying the drugmaker's upwardly revised targets for the year to March were conservative and recommended it as a defensive stock. Article Controls EMAIL REPRINT NEWSLETTER COMMENTS SHARE YAHOO! BUZZ The market largely brushed aside news from the Bank of Japan, which said it will extend the deadline for its buying of commercial paper to improve corporate funding. It kept its key policy rate unchanged at 0.10 percent by a unanimous decision. 'Even though it will expand its measures the BOJ is basically maintaining its current policies, and that helps support the market,' said Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Shinko Securities. The Nikkei gained 29.35 points to 7,563.79, poised to snap three days of losses in which it fell about 3 percent. On Wednesday the benchmark booked its lowest close since Oct. 27. The broader Topix rose 0.4 percent to 752.18 after ending the previous day a whisker away from its lowest close in 25 years. Despite gains in the overall market, investors remained wary as the yen is coming under pressure due to worries about the Japanese economy and political uncertainty, with voter support for Prime Minister Taro Aso sinking.

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