Nikkei pares early gains on U.S. govt shutdown concerns

TOKYO, Oct 1 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average pared much of its early rise to close up 0.2 percent on Tuesday, weighed down by worries about the consequences of a U.S. government shutdown. The benchmark Nikkei closed at 14,484.72, after advancing as much as 1.3 percent to 14,642.97 at one stage as strong corporate sentiment data reinforced expectations that the prime minister would go ahead with a fiscal reform plan and offer stimulus to soften the impact on economy. Prime Minist