Xinhua said the Nikkei 225 ended Wednesday down 648.27 points, or 0.92 percent, at 70,035.71, as investors locked in gains after the index crossed 70,000. The Topix fell 0.70 percent.
Tokyo stocks ended lower on Wednesday as investors locked in gains after a rapid rally, Xinhua reported. The Nikkei 225 closed down 648.27 points, or 0.92 percent, at 70,035.71. The Topix finished 29.45 points, or 0.70 percent, lower at 4,154.11.
Xinhua said concern that the market was overheated after the Nikkei crossed 70,000 prompted profit-taking. Selling in some artificial-intelligence and semiconductor shares, recent gainers, weighed on the index, the agency reported.
The close figures are from Xinhua, China's state news agency, not from an exchange bulletin quoted here. Intraday reports earlier on Wednesday had shown a smaller decline before the final print.
No single company earnings release was cited as the driver. The report attributed the move to locking in gains after the 70,000 level.
Trading resumes on Thursday in Tokyo. Xinhua did not give a forecast for the next session.