Asian shares supported on Wall St gains, Ukraine a risk

TOKYO: Asian shares were supported on Tuesday after Wall Street stocks extended gains into a fifth day, though investors continued to see tensions in Ukraine as a threat to risk appetite.

Japan's Nikkei share average opened up 0.5 percent. MSCI's broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was almost flat in early trade, but not far from a six-month high hit earlier this month.