TOKYO, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks closed lower on Tuesday as concerns remained about surging COVID-19 infections across Japan while investors took a wait-and-see approach on domestic earnings reports.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average lost 134.34 points, or 0.46 percent, from Monday to close the day at 28,991.89.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, shed 14.60 points, or 0.76 percent, to finish at 1,903.55.

Local dealers said that the benchmark Nikkei spent most of the day in negative territory amid continued concerns about increasing COVID-19 infections in the country, with the death toll doubling in about three months to top 10,000 on Monday, a day after a third state of emergency was declared in Tokyo and the western prefectures of Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo.

"Overseas investors sold Japanese shares as the vaccination rate in the country lags behind U.S. and European countries and cases of infection are still growing," Yutaka Miura, senior technical analyst at Mizuho Securities Co., was quoted as saying by local media.

In addition, investors were reluctant to buy shares as a wait-and-see mood strengthens before a slew of corporate earnings from major Japanese companies.

"Investors may take profits even if companies report positive earnings as their expectations for a recovery in corporate outlook are too high," warned Miura.

As for the currency market, the U.S. dollar held firm in the lower 108 yen zone throughout the day, with investors showing a muted reaction to a decision by the Bank of Japan to keep its monetary policy intact as expected by the market following a policy meeting.

By the close of play, pharmaceutical, real estate and precision instrument issues comprised those that declined the most.

Among the decliners, electric parts manufacturer Nitto Denko fell 350 yen, or 3.7 percent, to 9,060 yen after its earnings outlook for the current fiscal year ending March 2022 was within the market consensus.

Meanwhile, issues of leisure-related companies continued to be dragged down by declining demand amid the coronavirus outbreak. Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea operator Oriental Land shed 90 yen, or 0.6 percent, to 15,610 yen, while movie and theater production company Toho lost 30 yen, or 0.7 percent, to 4,415 yen.

On the First Section on Tuesday, declining issues outpaced advancers 1,338 to 749, while 103 finished unchanged.

On the main section, 1,159.37 million shares changed hands, rising from Monday's volume of 974.77 million shares. Enditem

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