Tokyo: Japanese stocks posted their biggest fall in nearly 10 months on Tuesday, as uncertainty surrounding Greece`s future in the euro zone and slumping oil prices dampened risk appetite, while a stronger yen hit exporters` shares.
In its worst day since March 14, the Nikkei benchmark slipped 3.0 percent to close at 16,883.19, not far off a six-week low of 16,672.94 hit on Dec. 17.
With oil prices at their lowest since spring 2009, the Tokyo Stock Exchange sub-index of oil and mining shares tumbled 5.5 percent. Inpex Corp shed 5.8 percent.
Exporters` shares suffered from a stronger yen, which broke through the 119 level versus the dollar late in the session. Nissan Motor Co Ltd lost 4.4 percent and Panasonic Corp slipped 3.1 percent.
The broader Topix fell 2.9 percent to 1,361.14, while the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 shed 2.9 percent to close at 12,327.80.
