TOKYO, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed lower Wednesday as U.S. shares retreating overnight set a negative tone with concerns rekindled over the future course of the global economy.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 244.58 points, or 1.05 percent, from Tuesday to close the day at 23,135.23.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, lost 3.46 points, or 0.20 percent, to finish at 1,703.27.

Local brokers said that investors were in a risk-off mood following U.S. shares trading lower overnight, with sentiment dampened by renewed concerns over the prospective health of the global economy.

They added that the Nikkei dropped more than 300 points in early trade on the back of investors refraining from taking risks, with investors assuming a wait-and-see stance ahead of further cues on the direction of domestic and global markets.

Also hitting sentiment was the yen's appreciation against the U.S. dollar, which along with uncertainty about external factors, weighed on exporter issues and others widely exposed to overseas markets.

As a result, Sharp lost 2.1 percent, while Mazda Motor skidded down 1.6 percent.

Among chip and tech-linked shares highly susceptible to global economic moves, Advantest dropped 1.7 percent, while Taiyo Yuden closed the day 2.1 percent lower. Sumco, meanwhile, relinquished 2.0 percent.

By the close of play, securities house, nonferrous metal and mining-oriented issues comprised those that declined the most, and issues that rose outpaced those that declined by 1,170 to 866 on the First Section, with 121 ending the day unchanged.

On the main section on Tuesday, 1,085.04 million shares changed hands, rising from Tuesday's volume of 1,074.75 million shares.

The turnover on the third trading day of the week came to 2,067.3 billion yen (19.01 billion U.S. dollars). Enditem

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