The yen stayed weak in the upper 148 range against the U.S. dollar Monday in Tokyo after hitting a new 32-year low late last week, while the Japanese finance minister's fresh warning kept investors wary of another yen-buying intervention.
Tokyo stocks ended lower on profit-taking following sharp gains on Friday and lackluster automakers amid fears over a possible U.S. recession resulting from the Federal Reserve's aggressive interest rate hikes.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 314.97 points, or 1.16 percent, from Friday at 26,775.79. The broader Topix index finished 18.63 points, or 0.98 percent, lower at 1,879.56.
On the top-tier Prime Market, decliners were led by mining, pharmaceutical, and wholesale trade issues.
