The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was down 0.67 percent or 185.37 points at 27,603.92 in early trade, while the broader Topix index slipped 0.61 percent or 11.96 points to 1,938.18
The benchmark Nikkei 225 index was down 0.08 percent, or 20.89 points, at 27,260.28 in early trade, while the broader Topix index lost 0.09 percent, or 1.80 points, to 1,895.39
The latest figure, which mostly reflects the depth of the plunge at the same time last year during a virus state of emergency, did not prompt strong market reaction.
In Tokyo, Sony was up 0.71 percent at 10,585 yen, Panasonic was up 2.45 percent at 1,211.5 yen, and chip-testing equipment maker Advantest was up 1.92 percent at 9,550 yen.
Takeda Pharmaceutical was up 0.16 percent at 3,774 yen after reports said Japanese authorities will likely this week approve the use of Moderna Covid-19 vaccines, which the Japanese firm will import.
In Tokyo, Panasonic was trading up 1.12 percent at 1,395 yen after it said it will sell all the shares of its European disposable battery units to German asset management group Aurelius.
In Tokyo, e-commerce giant Rakuten skyrocketed 20.72 percent to a day-time upper limit of 1,503 yen and Japan Post gained 1.95 percent to 1,045.5 yen after the companies confirmed reports that the two firms agreed to form a capital alliance.
Japan logged a trade deficit of 323.9 billion yen ($3 billion) in January, according to finance ministry data released 10 minutes before the opening bell.
