* Volume may be low as market focused on China survey, Japanese earnings * Canon Marketing tumbles to 2-month low on possible erroneous order - traders By Ayai Tomisawa TOKYO, July 24 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average edged up on Thursday morning as the slightly weakening yen supported sentiment, but geopolitical worries over Ukraine and Gaza kept activity in check.
Investors stayed on the sidelines as they were also focused on a manufacturing survey from China later in the day as well as quarterly results from Japanese companies after the market close.
The Nikkei rose 0.2 percent to 15,351.63 in mid-morning trade after ending 0.1 percent lower on the previous day.
The HSBC flash PMI is expected to inch up to 51 in July, which would cement expectations that the economy is recovering.
Among the companies that will report results for the April-June quarter after the market close are Canon Inc , Advantest Corp and Shin-Etsu Chemical Co .
"The mood is not bad but trading may be subdued today as most investors don't want to take positions until earnings are out," said Takatoshi Itoshima, chief portfolio manager at Commons Asset Management.
Traders also said that risk appetite in the broader markets remained sour by conflicts in Ukraine and the Gaza Strip.
Exporters were mostly higher as the dollar firmed a tad to 101.54 yen, continuing to recover slowly from last Friday's low of 101.09. Toyota Motor Corp rose 0.3 percent, Honda Motor Co added 0.1 percent and Nikon Corp advancing 0.8 percent.
On the other hand, Canon Marketing Japan Inc tumbled as much as 17 percent to a two-month low of 1,646 yen in early trade before crawling up 1.1 percent in mid-morning trade, with traders citing a possible erroneous order.
The broader Topix gained 0.1 percent to 1,273.65, and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 advancing 0.1 percent to 11,598.80.
(Editing by Kim Coghill)
