TOKYO, JAPAN - Japanese share prices were up 2.80 percent by the end of Friday's morning session, extending gains as dealers welcomed efforts by US political leaders to ward off recession.

The White House and leaders in the House of Representatives, led by the rival Democratic party, reached a quick deal on a 150 billion-dollar stimulus plan aimed at shoring up an economy wracked by housing sector turmoil.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange?s benchmark Nikkei-225 index was up 367.05 points at 13,459.83 at the end of the morning session.