Japanese stocks extended losses on Thursday morning as the yen appreciated versus the US dollar as the US Federal Reserve reiterated its dovish stance on the pace of future tax hikes.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 39.40 points, or 0.25 percent, from Wednesday to 15,675.96, Xinhua news agency reported.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 2.36 points, or 0.19 percent, to 1,265.39.
Notable issues that lost ground by the morning break comprised retail, transportation equipment and food-linked stocks.
