TOKYO: Japanese shares eased on Thursday, with cyclicals and oil companies leading losses, after Wall Street's rally took a breather on worries about inflation.
By 0205 GMT, the Nikkei share average lost 0.69% to 29,484.82 while the broader Topix shed 0.44% to 2,029.37.
The setback came after US stocks ended lower overnight, capped by worries the US Federal Reserve may have to raise interest rates more aggressively in the future to tame inflation.
A wide range of sectors were under water, with only four of the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33 industry subindexes rising.
Japanese shares end lower on weaker yen, rising cost worries
Cyclical shares such as shippers and steelmakers were among the top losers.
The TSE sea transport index lost 5.0%, with Kawasaki Kisen sinking 7.3% and Nippon Yusen down 5.2%.
Steelmakers declined 1.4%, with industry leader Nippon Steel losing 2.3%.
Eisai dropped 7.4% after a European Medicines Agency panel voted against approval of Alzheimer's drug the Japanese drugmaker developed with Biogen Inc.
Oil-related shares were also bruised as crude prices dropped after a Reuters report that the United States was asking major oil consumers like China and Japan to consider a coordinated release of oil reserves.
On the other hand, some tech shares retained their strength following strong earnings from Nvidia with Keyence up 1.7% and Murata Manufacturing adding 1.4%.
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