Tokyo shares ended lower on Tuesday as a circumspect market mood following a poor showing on Wall Street overnight led investors to lock in gains.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 170.08 points (0.90 percent) from Monday to close at 18,777.04, Xinhua news agency reported.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange closed 15.88 points (1.02 percent) lower at 1,543.11.
Local traders said along with a poor lead from Wall Street, investors also hit the sidelines ahead of central bank policy meetings later in the week in Japan and the US.
At the close, iron and steel mining and oil and coal-related-issues were among the day's notable decliners.
The turnover was 2,176.4 billion yen (about $18.02 billion).