March 7 (Bloomberg) -- Japan's Nikkei 225 Share Average rose, set for its longest winning streak in more than five years.

Sony Corp. led exporters higher after the New York Times reported the company will name Howard Stringer as chief executive officer and U.S. jobs data boosted optimism for sustained demand in the world's biggest economy.

``A change in Sony's management will be welcomed,'' said Hisakazu Amano, who oversees the equivalent of $383 million at T&D Asset Management Co. in Tokyo. ``The fundamentals of the U.S. economy are looking good and as long as that remains the case, it's going to be good for market sentiment.''

The Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 80.44, or 0.7 percent, to 11,953.49 at the 11 a.m. break in Tokyo, after gaining 3.4 percent in the past seven days. The average is poised to match its eight- day winning streak ended August 18, 1999.

The Topix index added 7.41, or 0.6 percent, to 1199.52, with computer-related shares and automakers accounting for a quarter of its advance.

Nikkei 225 futures for March delivery rose 0.6 percent to 11,960 in Osaka and added 0.7 percent to 11,960 in Singapore.

Sony, the world's second-largest consumer electronics maker, jumped 70 yen, or 1.8 percent, to 4,080. The stock was the second most active by value on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's first section.

The New York Times reported Sunday Sony may name Stringer, 63, who leads the company's U.S. business, as chairman and chief executive today, replacing Nobuyuki Idei, citing people familiar with the plan.

Restore the Brand?

Sony spokesman Kei Sakaguchi said Sony's board was meeting today to discuss management changes. During the lunch break, Sony confirmed in a statement Stringer will take over as chairman and chief executive officer on June 22. Ryoji Chubachi, 57, an executive deputy president, will take over from Kunitake Ando as president, the company also said.

``The market is watching if the new management can restore the Sony brand, which has regressed into an ordinary brand,'' said Fumiyuki Nakanishi, chief equity strategist at SMBC Friend Securities Co. in Tokyo.

British-born Stringer will be the first non-Japanese person to lead Sony. He has been chief operating officer and vice- chairman since November 2003.

Idei, 67, has been working to regain investor confidence in the stock, which has lagged behind the Topix Index in the past 12 months, by developing new products. Sony has lost 12 percent in the period, while the Topix index has gained 6.1 percent.

Sony cut its forecast for operating profit on Jan. 21 due to falling prices for products such as audio players and televisions, and amid competition from its rivals. The stock has declined 6.7 percent since then.

Kyocera, Fuji Photo

Other exporters also advanced.

Kyocera Corp., which generates more than half its sales overseas, rose 50 yen, or 0.6 percent, to 8,020. Honda Motor Co., which gets as much as 90 percent of its operating profit from North America, added 20 yen, or 0.4 percent, to 5,640. Canon Inc., which derives 70 percent of its revenue from overseas sales, rose 30 yen, or 0.5 percent, to 5,600.

Fuji Photo Film Co., which relies on overseas markets for about half of its sales, rose 50 yen, or 1.3 percent, to 3,930.

A Labor Department report showed U.S. employers added 262,000 workers in February, the most since October. Economists predicted a gain of 225,000 jobs, based on the median forecast in a Bloomberg News survey.

The increase in payrolls follows a revised gain of 132,000 jobs in January that was less than previously estimated. The unemployment rate rose to 5.4 percent from a three-year low of 5.2 percent in January.

Measured Economic Growth

The figures suggested that job creation will bolster the U.S. economy's expansion without prompting the Federal Reserve to accelerate the pace of interest-rate increases. Standard & Poor's 500 Index jumped 1 percent, surpassing a three-year closing high set on December 30.

``This report is confirmation that the U.S. economy is in good shape and that provides an incentive to buy exporters,'' said Koichi Seki, an equity manager at Chuo Securities Co. in Tokyo. ``The economy is growing but not yet at a pace where it will prompt the Fed to raise rates faster.''

Fed policy makers next meet on March 22. Central bankers are expected to raise their benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point to 2.75 percent, based on the median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

Oil-related stocks such as Inpex Corp. jumped after oil prices traded near a 19-week closing high on March 4, boosting optimism their earnings will be supported.

Inpex, Teikoku Gain

Crude oil for April was little changed at $53.58 a barrel, in electronic after-hours trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange in Asia. On March 4, oil rose to $53.78 a barrel, the highest close since Oct. 26.

Inpex, Japan's largest oil explorer, jumped 10,000 yen, or 1.7 percent, to 600,000. The company last month raised its annual profit forecast 22 percent driven by higher crude oil production and prices soared.

Teikoku Oil Co., the biggest producer of natural gas from fields in Japan, surged 25 yen, or 3 percent, to 857. A gain in oil prices helped the company report a 36 percent gain in full- year profit, the company said last month.

The Topix Mining Index, which includes Inpex, jumped 1.7 percent, making it the best performer among the benchmark's 33 constituent industry groups.

To contact the reporter on this story: Neha Kumar in Tokyo at nkumar2@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: March 6, 2005 22:15 EST