Tokyo stocks fell slightly on Friday morning as caution prevailed among investors over a possible government shutdown in the United States.
The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond reached a 10-year high of 0.770 percent amid the prospect of higher U.S. long-term interest rates.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average fell 36.28 points, or 0.11 percent, from Thursday to 31,836.24. The broader Topix index was down 16.27 points, or 0.69 percent, at 2,329.24.
On the top-tier Prime Market, decliners were led by marine transportation, oil and coal product, and iron and steel issues.
