Japan stocks turn positive on bank gains

(Updates to early afternoon)

TOKYO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Japanese stocks turned positive on Tuesday afternoon as investors bought back bank shares such as Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc (8306.T) that had been sold off in previous sessions.

As of 0340 GMT, the benchmark Nikkei average .N225 was up 0.1 percent at 15,269.05 and the broader TOPIX index had gained 0.3 percent to 1,477.00.