TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei stock average gained 2.1 percent on Wednesday to hit an eight-month closing high, with resource shares such as Mitsubishi Corp leading the market higher on strong oil and metals prices.

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines and other shippers powered higher on a brokerage upgrade, with expectations of good Chinese indicators due out later this week helping to overcome a fall in Japanese machinery orders.

The benchmark Nikkei gained 204.67 points to 9,991.49, coming within a breath of breaking above the key psychological level of 10,000. It hit its highest close since Oct. 7.

The broader Topix rose 2 percent to 937.01.

(Reporting by Elaine Lies)