Japan stocks closed lower on Tuesday in choppy trade as the indices switched between positive and negative, with a further drop in Chinese shares and concerns about escalating tensions in the Middle East eventually pushing investors into a risk-off mood.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 76.98 points, or 0.42 percent, from Monday at 18,374.00, Xinhua reported.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 4.96 points, or 0.33 percent, to close the day at 1,504.71.
The day's notable decliners comprised agriculture and fishery, insurance and transport-linked issues.
The turnover for the day was 2,201.3 billion yen ($18.41 billion).
