Japan shares erased morning's gains and plunged by break on Wednesday as investors aired concerns over an earthquake detected in North Korean and tensions in the Middle East, as well as the Japanese yen's advances.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average plunged 222.23 points, or 1.21 percent, from Tuesday to 18,151.77, Xinhua reported.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 18.07 points, or 1.20 percent, to 1,486.64.
