Japanese stocks rose for a fourth day, the longest winning streak since July, with carmakers advancing as U.S. consumer spending rose more than forecast. Japan’s parliament today confirmed Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda as the next prime minister.

Honda Motor Co., which gets 40 percent of its revenue from North America, climbed 1 percent after U.S. auto sales increased and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke last week indicated the U.S. economy may not need more stimulus. Sony Corp. (6758) gained 3.5 percent after the Yomiuri newspaper reported it will form a venture to produce liquid-crystal displays with Toshiba Corp. (6502) and Hitachi Ltd. (6501)

The Nikkei 225 (NKY) Stock Average rose 1.2 percent to 8,953.90 as of the 3 p.m. trading close in Tokyo. The broader Topix index advanced 1.1 percent to 767.30. For the month through yesterday, the Nikkei fell 8.9 percent, set for the biggest monthly loss since May 2010, while the Topix was down 8.8 percent.

“U.S. economic data have lifted the mood,” said Ayako Sera, a market strategist at Sumitomo Trust & Banking Co., which manages the equivalent of $325 billion. “The market is regaining confidence after Bernanke tried to not stoke pessimism in his speech.” Read More