TOKYO: Tokyo stocks opened 0.42 percent lower on Tuesday as the US budget fight continues to plague global markets.
The Nikkei 225 stock index, which closed at its lowest level in more than a month the previous day, lost another 58.58 points to 13,794.74 at the start.
US stocks Monday fell, as did the dollar, boding more ill for Japanese shares, traders said.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.90 percent at 14,936.24 as a partial US government shutdown entered its second week with no sign of resolution.
"With pressure mounting both domestically and internationally on US politicians to act sooner rather than later to resolve the dilemma, players are hopeful, but the currency market gyrations are not encouraging aggressive stock buying yet," said SMBC Nikko Securities general manager of equities Hiroichi Nishi.
The dollar remained weak early Tuesday, changing hands at 96.74 yen in early Asian trade against the 97-yen range in Tokyo Monday and 96.68 yen in New York Monday afternoon.
The euro bought $1.3579 and 131.38 yen, flat from US trade.
The dollar edged up against the yen after Japanese government data released early Tuesday showed the nation's current account surplus was a sharply lower-than-expected 161.5 billion yen ($1.67 billion) in August.
The current account, the broadest measure of Japan's trade with the rest of the world including goods and services as well as returns on investments, was down 63.7 percent from a year earlier as trade deficits expanded.
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