Tokyo shares open lower on tumbling oil prices

Tokyo shares opened sharply lower on Monday with its benchmark Nikkei index retreating over two percent, following declines in overseas equity markets amid concerns over oil prices' continued plunge.

At 9.15 a.m. local time, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average tumbled 478.12 points, or 2.49 percent, from Friday at 18,752.36, Xinhua news agency reported.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 33.12 points, or 2.14 percent, to 1,516.39.