Nikkei gains 0.8 pct as exporters climb on weak yen

* Foreign, domestic funds help buoy market-analyst

* Eyes on next week's Fed, BOJ meetings, Greece plans-analyst

* Shinsei slips after media report of capital-raising

By Aiko Hayashi

TOKYO, March 11 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei average rose 0.8 percent on Thursday, with exporters such as Sony Corp (6758.T) climbing on a weaker yen and after U.S. wholesale inventories fell unexpectedly in January.

But Shinsei Bank (8303.T) fell nearly 2 percent after the Financial Times reported that the bank was preparing to issue new shares to raise about 75 billion yen ($830 million) in fresh capital. [ID:nTKV006348]

"Trade by foreign investors and funds backed by domestic individual investors' money are dominating the market now as Japanese institutional investors can't really move actively because this month is the end of the business year in Japan," said Tsuyoshi Segawa, an equity strategist at Mizuho Securities.

"The next top focus will be on important events in Japan, the United States and Europe all happening next week, namely the Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan policy reviews as well as Greece's future plans."

EU finance ministers meet on March 16 to discuss Greece's financial problems, and their exit strategies from fiscal stimulus measures worth hundreds of billions of euros that were agreed in late 2008 to battle the global crisis. [ID:nLDE6280WM]

The benchmark Nikkei .N225 gained 81.72 points to 10,645.64, after ending flat the previous day.

The broader Topix .TOPX added 0.8 percent to 930.07.

The dollar JPY= was steady around 90.50 yen after climbing above 90.80 earlier. Ongoing speculation that the Bank of Japan may ease policy further will likely keep the Japanese currency under pressure. [ID:nTOE6290C0] [FRX]

Stock market investors welcome a weaker yen as it boosts exporters' profits when they are repatriated.

Exporters rose to lead gains in the broader market, with tech shares also helped after the Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC gained 0.8 percent on an unexpected fall in U.S. wholesale inventories for January. [.N] [ID:nN10140432]

Sony Corp (6758.T) jumped 2.7 percent to 3,465 yen and TDK Corp (6762.T) climbed 2.3 percent to 5,760 yen. Honda Motor Co (7267.T) gained 0.9 percent to 3,275 yen.

Shares of Shinsei Bank fell 1.9 percent to 102 yen. The move comes as Shinsei's plan to merge with Aozora Bank (8304.T) is in danger of collapse, the FT reported citing a person familiar with the negotiations.

A Shinsei spokeswoman declined to comment. (Editing by Edwina Gibbs)