Japanese shares inched higher Wednesday for the fifth straight day of gains as sentiment was lifted by rallies on Asian markets and Wall Street. The benchmark Nikkei Stock Average gained 1.3 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 8,955.2 while the broader-based Topix index was up 3.3 points or 0.43 per cent at 770.6. Tokyo stocks climbed in the afternoon as some other Asian markets rose. By mid-afternoon, South Korea\'s Kospi Index had risen 1.96 per cent and Hong Kong\'s Hang Seng Index was up 1.01 per cent, according to a report of the German Press Agency