TOKYO - The yen extended its gain on Jan 26 as traders started the week on heightened alert for Japan intervening in the market following the currency’s recent slide.

It advanced as much as 0.8 per cent to US154.43 per US dollar in early Asian trading, its strongest level in more than a month, following a warning to the market on Jan 25 by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and signs on Jan 23 that the United States may join Japan to defend the yen.