TOKYO: Tokyo shares opened lower on Tuesday with investors spooked by global political uncertainties and cautious before key US jobs data later in the week.
Markets were jolted after North Korea fired four missiles into waters near Japan on Monday, stoking regional security worries.
On Tuesday the Japanese market followed Wall Street's decline, with analysts pointing to a variety of concerns, including the lack of progress on President Donald Trump's economic agenda and the prospect of the Federal Reserve raising interest rates next week.
Investors are waiting for monthly US jobs data on Friday, which could give them clues on the Fed policy.
In Europe, how the French presidential election will turn out is still unclear with just seven weeks to go before the country goes to the polls in a two-stage vote.
"Risk off sentiment has crept back... as the markets sulk, and as dealers' attempt to decipher the Fed rate trajectory beyond March, while shifting their focus to geopolitical concerns as the French election risk continues to simmer," Stephen Innes, a senior trader at forex firm OANDA, said in a commentary.
Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 0.28 percent, or 54 points, to 19,325.14 in early trading, while the Topix index of all first-section issues was down 0.12 percent, or 1.94 points, at 1,552.96.
Toyota shares fell 0.25 percent to 6,431 yen while bank Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group was off 0.60 percent at 4,431 yen.
Nintendo shares rose 1.36 percent to 24,570 yen after reports of robust sales of its new console launched last week.
Yamato Holdings jumped 3.31 percent to 2,522 yen after the top parcel delivery firm said it was in talks with Amazon and other large customers to raise prices for the first time in 27 years.
Its stock fell 4.01 percent on Monday on the possibility that the group would retroactively compensate parcel carriers for unpaid overtime, which reportedly could reach tens of billions of yen.
The dollar was at 113.91 yen on Tuesday against 113.90 yen in New York on Monday afternoon.
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