Tokyo's stock markets continued their downward trend Tuesday as markets opened. ( dpa )
After Wall Street's third drop in a row, the Nikkei Index of 225 leading stocks fell 123.20 points or 0.98 per cent in the opening 15 minutes, to 12,408.93 points.
The broader-based Topix shed 18.07 points or 1.48 per cent to 1,206.32.
Worry about a recession in the US, high oil prices and the strengthening yen against the dollar weighed down the mood among traders.
In early trading, the dollar dropped to 101.45-50 yen after the previous closing of 101.70-80.
The euro also lost against the dollar, with 1.5335-40 dollars after 1.5383-86 dollars on the previous trading day.
The euro lost against the yen to 155.60-65 yen compared to 157.00-04 yen on the previous trading.