Nikkei slides, enters into bear market territory

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average fell 1.7 percent and entered bear market territory on Friday, having plunged 20 percent from a 5-1/2 year high hit last month.

The Nikkei slid to 12,691.33 on Friday morning after the yen firmed against the dollar on concerns that the key U.S. jobs report will disappoint.

The broader Topix index lost 1.6 percent to 1,053.34.

(Reporting by Dominic Lau; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)