TOKYO: Tokyo stocks ended sharply lower on Friday with the market spooked by news that Russian troops attacked Europe's largest nuclear power plant in Ukraine.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was down 2.23 percent or 591.80 points at 25,985.47, while the broader Topix index fell 1.96 percent or 36.86 points to 1,844.94.
The dollar stood at 115.49 yen, against 115.45 yen in New York late Thursday.
The attack on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant set part of the Ukrainian facility ablaze, with the fire extinguished at dawn after hours of uncertainty throughout the night.
Russia's latest action sparked accusations of "nuclear terror" from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and drew a flurry of condemnation from world leaders.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of "reckless actions" and called for an emergency UN Security Council meeting.
Tracking falls on Wall Street, the Nikkei started trading lower, only to plunge further as "investors were disheartened by" reports of Russia's attack on the nuclear facility, Okasan Online Securities said.
"But falls then stopped as a wait-and-see mood prevailed pending the disclosure of US job data," the brokerage added.
Among major shares in Tokyo, SoftBank Group nosedived 4.77 percent to 4,963, Toyota slid 3.56 percent to 1,974 yen and Sony Group lost 3.14 percent to 11,385 yen.
Uniqlo operator Fast Retailing fell 1.96 percent to 61,290 yen.
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