TOKYO, March 4 (Xinhua) -- Japan's benchmark Nikkei stock index briefly lost more than 3 percent on Wednesday morning, extending its losses, as escalating tensions in the Middle East continued to fuel risk-off moves.

At 10:15 a.m. local time, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 1,630.39 points, or 2.90 percent, from Tuesday to 54,648.66. ■