Tokyo stocks lost ground on Monday as a stronger yen versus the US dollar took its toll on exporter-linked issues, while the general market mood was subdued following steep declines in the US equities before the weekend.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 322.48 points, or 1.70 percent, from Friday to 18,664.32 at the break, Xinhua reported.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 23.69 points, or 1.54 percent, to end the morning at 1,513.41.
Notable decliners by the break comprised pharmaceuticals, warehousing and precision instrument-related stocks.