Nikkei at 8-mth closing high, techs and autos climb

* Nikkei at 8-month closing high for second straight day

* Resistance at 9,800 and 9,900

* Automakers rise as GM uncertainty cleared

* Shippers down on profit-taking after sharp gains

TOKYO, June 2 - Japan's Nikkei stock average rose 0.3 percent on Tuesday, the second straight day it has closed at 8-month highs, with automakers climbing after General Motors' bankruptcy filing removed much uncertainty about its fate. Tech shares such as Advantest Corp advanced after U.S. manufacturing data boosted hopes for the U.S. economy, but shippers fell as investors locked in profits after recent sharp gains. "Economic indicators are now showing improvement from the worst period but until we see proof of a recovery in company results, it'll be difficult for the market to rise strongly and we're still a long way from the next earnings period," said Takashi Ushio, head of investment strategy at Marusan Securities.

The benchmark Nikkei gained 26.56 points to 9,704.31, its highest close since October 7, though it earlier rose as far as 9,793.47.

The broader Topix edged up 0.1 percent to 913.56.

GM filed for bankruptcy protection on Monday as the Obama administration took the first steps to try to revive a failed icon of American industry by extending unprecedented federal funding and oversight.

"The market is being lifted with the bankruptcy filing of General Motors seen to have removed a hurdle that blocked previous advances," said Takahiko Murai, general manager of equities at Nozomi Securities.

The Tokyo market had already digested much of GM's bankruptcy news on Monday after an U.S. administration official confirmed that a filing was imminent. The Nikkei has risen 1.9 percent over the past two days.

Resistance is seen at 9,800, where the 52-week moving average comes in, and then at 9,900 -- a 38.2 percent retracement from an early June 2008 high of around 14,600, after which the Nikkei began its tumble that led to a 26-year low just under 7,000 in late October.

"We really need something new to get us through these levels and then psychological resistance at 10,000," Ushio at Marusan added.

AUTOS POWER HIGHER

Toyota Motor Co and other automakers rose although most pared gains by the close.

Toyota gained 0.8 percent to 3,850 yen, Honda Motor Co rose 2.2 percent to 2,820 yen and Nissan Motor Co gained 1.7 percent to 594 yen.

The transport sub-index rose 1.2 percent to become the second-biggest gainer among the sub-indexes.

But Suzuki Motor Corp, which said on Tuesday it had exposure of of around 72 billion yen ($746 million) to GM affiliates but no direct exposure to the failed U.S. carmaker, edged down 0.5 percent to 2,100 yen.

Suzuki said in a statement that the main item was a $400 million debt guarantee to a joint venture car maker in Canada, and the rest of the exposure was mostly in the form of accounts receivable.

Advantest and other tech firms climbed on a combination of growing hopes for the U.S. economy and a sharp rise in the Philadelphia Semiconductor index.

Advantest rose 4.8 percent to 1,795 yen, Sony Corp rose 4.3 percent to 2,690 yen and Canon Inc rose 1 percent to 3,180 yen. Tokyo Electron rose 2.3 percent to 4,540 yen.

But gains were checked as Nippon Yusen and other shippers retreated on profit-taking after recent sharp climbs. Nippon Yusen shares, for example, gained 11.4 percent during the period from May 25 to Monday.

"This is just a temporary move for the sector, which will keep on rising as the economic recovery is confirmed over time," said Hideyuki Ishiguro, a supervisor in the investment advisory section of Okasan Securities.

Nippon Yusen lost 1.7 percent to 471 yen, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines fell 2.9 percent to 698 yen and Kawasaki Kisen slipped 2.2 percent to 453 yen.

Nomura Real Estate slid 4.8 percent to 1,585 yen after the company said it plans to raise 64 billion yen ($660 million) by offering new shares.

Trade was active, with 2.6 billion shares changing hands on the Tokyo exchange's first section compared to last week's daily average of 2.2 billion.

Advancing shares outnumbered declining issues 908 to 647.