TOKYO: Tokyo stocks turned 0.24 per cent lower on Tuesday morning after high-stakes debt talks between Greece and its eurozone partners broke down without an agreement.
The Nikkei 225 at the Tokyo Stock Exchange slipped 43.58 points to 17,961.19, while the Topix index of all first-section shares was flat, edging up 0.41 points to 1,459.84.
The Japanese market, which hit a more than seven-year high on Monday, was also weighed by a stronger yen.
The dollar bought 118.37 yen compared with 118.47 yen in London late Monday. The breakdown in Greek debt talks hit the euro, which sank to $1.1346 and 134.32 yen from $1.1390 and 134.53 yen. US markets were closed Monday for a public holiday.
The crunch meeting of eurozone finance ministers on Monday broke down after Athens refused demand that it must apply for an extension to its bailout, raising the prospect Greece will run out of cash and default, forcing it to leave the currency bloc.
Eurogroup head Jeroen Dijsselbloem said the country had the rest of the week to make the request, with the 240 billion euro lifeline expiring at the end of the month.
