Japan's stock market ended 6 per cent lower Thursday as renewed economic concerns wiped away gains brought a day earlier by Senator Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential election, reported dpa.
The Nikkei 225 Stock Average plunged 622.1 points, or 6.53 per cent, to close at 8,899.14.
The broader Topix index of all first-section issues also lost 57.61 points, or 5.96 per cent, to 909.3.
On currency markets at midday (0300 GMT), the dollar traded at 98.07-12 yen, down from Wednesday's 5 pm quote of 99.37-38 yen.
The euro was quoted at 1.2860-65 dollars, up from Wednesday's 5 pm quote of 1.2842-43 dollars, and at 126.11-21 yen, down from 127.61-65 yen.