TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average rose to a fresh seven-year high on Friday morning after Wall Street gained on rosy earnings and the weaker yen lifted exporters like Sony Corp and Honda Motor Co.

The Nikkei benchmark rose 0.7 per cent to 17,520 at the open, its highest intraday level since July 2007.

The US dollar neared a seven-year high against the yen on Thursday amid heightened speculation that Japan's prime minister will call a snap election next month.

The broader Topix gained 0.7 per cent to 1,398.83, and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 advanced 0.6 per cent to 12,771.57.

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