Nikkei rises to 2-week high on weak yen

Renewed fears of Ebola in US help Ebola-related stocks such as Fujifilm Holdings

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Japanese shares rose to a two-week high on Friday as the weaker yen lifted exporters, while renewed fears about the spread of the Ebola virus in the United States bolstered Ebola-related stocks such as Fujifilm Holdings Corp.

The Nikkei share average ended 1% higher to 15,291.64, the best closing level since Oct 10.

For the week, the index gained 5.2%.

Tokyo-listed shares in firms manufacturing Ebola-related products jumped in response to news that a New York City doctor who had worked with the humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders in Africa became the first person to test positive for the virus in America's largest city.

Air filter manufacturer Airtech Japan Ltd leapt 17%, while health protection device maker Shigematsu Works Co Ltd soared 10%.

Fujifilm, which makes the Avigan drug hoped to be a potential cure for the deadly virus, also rose 2.5%.

The yen was at 107.97 against the dollar, pulling away from two-week lows hit early on Friday as US stock futures tumbled on reports of the New York Ebola diagnosis.

The depreciation of the Japanese currency helped export shares, with Toyota Motor Corp jumping 1.8% and Tokyo Electron Ltd rising 1.2%.

The broader Topix rose 0.8% to 1,242.32, while the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 also advanced 0.9% to 11,308.95.