TOKYO: Tokyo stocks closed lower on Monday as investors remained cautious over uncertainty surrounding the Omicron coronavirus variant.
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index slipped 0.36 percent, or 102.20 points, to 27,927.37, while the broader Topix index fell 0.53 percent, or 10.32 points, to 1,947.54.
Top US pandemic advisor Anthony Fauci said Sunday that early indications of the severity of the Omicron Covid-19 variant were "a bit encouraging," while cautioning more information was still needed.
But traders remained cautious as more countries detect the variant.
"Shares of growing companies were sold on worries over the Omicron variant," Okasan Online Securities said in a note.
In Tokyo, SoftBank Group plunged 8.20 percent to 5,103 yen while drug maker Daiichi Sankyo dropped 6.16 percent to 2,671 yen.
Toshiba fell 1.11 percent to 4,690 yen after a report said several of its biggest shareholders have accused the firm of failing to properly pursue talks with private equity on a buyout.
The Financial Times report said they will ratchet up pressure on the board to revive discussions on a full buyout and could vote down a plan to break the firm into three separately listed businesses.
Sony Group tumbled 1.45 percent at 13,625 yen despite a report that its PlayStation division is planning a new subscription service to compete with rival Microsoft's popular Xbox Game Pass.
Automakers were lower with Toyota losing 0.62 percent to 2,066 yen, Honda slipping 0.34 percent to 3,188 yen and Nissan dropping 2.40 percent to 550.9 yen.
The dollar fetched 113.05 yen in Asian trade, against 112.80 yen in New York late Friday.
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