Japan stocks rebound, China investment report helps

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese stocks accelerated their advance on Monday after a newspaper report that the Chinese government's investment arm is expected to buy Japanese stocks, boosting hopes for new demand for the underperforming market.

A robust start to the U.S. holiday shopping season, providing some reassurance about the health of the U.S. economy, also buoyed Sony Corp and other high-tech exporters and auto makers such as Honda Motor Co Ltd.

The broad-based TOPIX index jumped 2.1 percent or 29.65 points to end at 1,467.03, its highest finish since Nov. 20.

The benchmark Nikkei average climbed 1.7 percent or 246.44 points to 15,135.21, also the highest close since Nov. 20.