TOKYO: Japan's Nikkei share average edged down in choppy trade on Tuesday as investors took profits from recent gains, while Sharp Corp tumbled on news that it is planning to seek aid from its main lenders as it expects losses to mount this year.

The Nikkei ended 0.1 percent lower at 18,815.16 points, snapping a three-day winning streak. It bounced between positive and negative territory.

However, the broader Topix ended 0.1 percent higher at 1,526.83 and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 rose 0.2 percent to 13,867.02.

Copyright Reuters, 2015