TOKYO, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average edged up 0.5 percent on Thursday as exporters such as Canon Inc (7751.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and tech shares gained after Wall Street rose on further confirmation the global economy is strengthening.

Shares of convenience store FamilyMart Co (8028.T: Quote, Profile, Research) opened up 2.4 percent after a source said Japan's third-largest convenience store operator is in talks to buy smaller rival am/pm Japan Co. [ID:nBNG460546]

The Nikkei business daily had reported earlier that FamilyMart and its top shareholder Itochu Corp (8001.T: Quote, Profile, Research) would likely buy am/pm from its parent Rex Holdings Co for 10 billion yen ($110 million).

The benchmark Nikkei .N225 gained 52.18 points to 9,923.86, while the broader Topix .TOPX rose 0.5 percent to 876.35. (Reporting by Elaine Lies)