Nikkei hits 4-week low on heightened Europe concerns

TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei average shed 1.4 percent to a one-month low on Monday, after downgrades of France and eight other European countries, as well as an impasse in Greek debt talks fanned concern that leaders may not be able to contain the region's debt crisis.

The Nikkei average dropped 1.4 percent to 8,378.36, back below its 25-day moving average near 8,467 after closing above the technical level on Friday.

The broader Topix fell 1.3 percent to 725.24.