( dpa )- The decline of the dollar against the yen and the US credit crisis led markets in Tokyo to plunge as they opened for the week Monday.
Minutes after opening, the Nikkei Index of 225 top stocks fell below 12,000 points for the first time since August 2005. At 9:37 am, the index had taken a hit of 375.59 points, or 3.07 per cent, pushing it below the psychologically significant number to 11,866.01 points.
The US currency fell to 97 yen for the first time since September 2005.