Nikkei hits 15-year high on earnings, shareholder returns hopes

By Hideyuki Sano TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese stocks edged up to hit a 15-year high on Monday, with financial and real estate companies leading the gains, as investors bet on steady improvement in the Japanese economy and increased shareholder returns. Domestic demand-oriented shares, such as banks and real estate companies shone on Monday, as Japan is seen as one of the biggest beneficiaries of weak oil prices, with the country's net oil imports at 4.2 percent - the highest ratio among major deve