TOKYO: Tokyo stocks closed lower on Thursday, tracking falls of tech shares on Wall Street, while a stronger yen weighed on the market.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 0.40 percent, or 111.97 points, to 27,574.43, while the broader Topix index lost 0.35 percent, or 6.81 points, to 1,941.50.
“The market extended falls in US shares, with tech-related companies lower in particular,” strategist Mamiko Katayama of Daiwa Securities said.
Overnight on Wall Street, the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index dropped 0.5 percent, while the broad-based S&P 500 dipped 0.2 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished flat.
The dollar bought 136.87 yen in Asian trade, against 136.57 yen in New York and 137.31 yen in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Tokyo Electron, which makes tools to build semiconductors, fell 0.94 percent to 44,400 yen, and chipmaker Murata Manufacturing sank 1.84 percent to 7,214 yen.
Nissan ended down 0.45 percent at 461.6 yen after reports said talks on rebalancing the alliance between the auto giant and its French partner Renault had not yet reached a deal.
Nintendo fell 1.31 percent to 5,706 yen after a Microsoft executive said the hugely popular “Call of Duty” game franchise would become available on Nintendo’s Switch console if the acquisition of the game’s developer went ahead.