By Ayai Tomisawa

TOKYO, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose

for a fifth straight session on Tuesday on hopes that U.S.

lawmakers will soon reach a deal to reopen the government and

avert a possible debt default, with a weaker yen lifting such

bellwether stocks as Sony Corp.

The Nikkei rose 0.3 percent to 14,441.54. The Topix

was virtually flat, edging up 0.03 percent to 1,197.47.