Nikkei extends gains after Japan Fin Min Aso's comments

Reuters
A man walks past an electronic stock quotation board, as cherry blossoms bloom, outside a brokerage in Tokyo April 9, 2014. REUTERS/Issei Kato

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average extends gains on Wednesday following vague comments from Japanese Finance Minister Taro Aso on the country's $1.26-trillion government pension fund, which traders took to mean that it could step up stock buying. The benchmark Nikkei rose to as high as 14,334.46, or 2.4 percent above its previous close, after Aso told the parliament the pension fund will "make a move" in the stock market from June. (Reporting by Hideyuki Sano; Editing by Dominic Lau)