Asian stocks rose after a US report showed the world's largest economy added the most jobs in four years, fueling optimism exporters such as Canon Inc and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co will sustain earnings growth.

　　The morgan Stanley Capital International Asia Pacific Index added 0.7 percent to 98.01, the highest since November 15, 2000, at the close in Tokyo. Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average gained 1.2 percent to 11,958.32. In Taiwan, the TWSE surged 2.1 percent, and Thailand's SET Index rose 2.9 percent.

　　There were "doubts about the US recovery and the jobs data was reassurance for the market that things are on track," said Kenneth Tang, who helps manage US$3 billion at Credit Agricole Asset Management Asia Ltd in Singapore. Credit Agricole is planning to increase equities in its funds after selling shares at the beginning of the year, he said.

　　The latest US job report adds to optimism about growth in the world's biggest economy that last month drove both the Nikkei and the Topix to their biggest fiscal-year gains in 31 years. Exporters had lagged gains in banks and retailers in Japan the past month on concern a lack of job creation would hamper demand for their goods in the United States.

　　All stock indexes in the region rose except China's Shanghai Composite Index. Stock exchanges in Hong Kong, South Korea and Indonesia were shut for public holidays.

　　The us Labor Department said the world's biggest economy created 308,000 jobs in March, the biggest jump in payrolls since April 2000. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg News had expected payrolls would rise by 120,000 last month.

　　Japan's topix Index rose 1.3 percent to 1199.24, with computer-related shares accounting for a third of its gain.

　　Canon, the world's third-largest maker of digital cameras, added 3.2 percent to 5,450 yen (US$52). More than a third of sales came from the United States in the three months ended on December 31. Nissan Motor Co, Japan's third-largest automaker, climbed 3.7 percent to 1,203 yen. The automaker boosted its US sales 30 percent to 90,494 vehicles in March.

　　The latest US job report adds to optimism that last month drove both the Nikkei and the Topix to their biggest fiscal-year gains in 31 years, as evidence of growth at home took hold.

　　The japanese economy, the world's second largest, probably grew almost 3 percent in the fiscal year ended on March 31, beating the government's estimate, Japan's Economy and Financial Services Minister Heizo Takenaka said over the weekend.

　　"The fact that the US added jobs eases concern over its employment growth," said Shigeharu Shiraishi, a Tokyo-based managing director at SG Yamaichi Asset Management Co, which handles the equivalent of US$16 billion. With Japan's economy also recovering, "we've got quite a strong market now."

　　Taiwan's twse rose 137.19 to 6682.73, its sixth daily gain, matching the longest winning streak since the period ended on July 8.

　　Taiwan semiconductor, which counts on the United States for three-quarters of its sales of made-to-order computer chips, gained 4.2 percent to 62 New Taiwan dollars (US$1.88). United Microelectronics Corp, its smaller rival, jumped 6.8 percent to NT$31.50.

　　Chartered semiconductor Manufacturing Ltd, the world's fourth-largest supplier of made-to-order computer chips, surged 5.5 percent to 1.74 Singapore dollars (US$1.04). Its shares slid 8.7 percent in the first quarter.

　　Adding to evidence of faster economic growth in the United States, an Institute for Supply Management report this week may show US service industries, which account for the biggest part of the economy, expanded at a faster pace last month, according to economists surveyed by Bloomberg News.

　　Chip-related stocks in the region also advanced after a report on Friday by the Semiconductor Industry Association showed global semiconductor sales rose 31 percent in February from a year earlier as corporate demand for computers recovered.

　　Livedoor co, a Japanese Internet service provider, slumped 15 percent to 5,840 yen after it said it will raise 30.6 billion yen by selling 6 million new shares to pay debt and expand business.

　　(Bloomberg News)