Japan suffered a triple dip Wednesday as the Tokyo stock, foreign exchange and national bond markets all fell.
Tokyo share prices fell broadly as Tuesday's rally proved to be short-lived. The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei average, which gained 170.03 points Tuesday, plunged 433.06, or 2.7 percent, to end the day at 15,434.17, its year-to-date closing low.
An attempted rally fizzled out amid reports the Hong Stock market had gone into a free fall earlier in the day. The yen also gave up further ground against the dollar on concerns over bleak economic prospects at home.
The dollar changed hands at 125.72-75 yen at 5 p.m., compared with Tuesday's late quotes of 124.87-90 yen. The yen moved lower for the seventh consecutive trading day.
Meanwhile, the yield on the 10-year national bond went up by 0.03 of a point from Tuesday's close to reach 1.705 percent as many investors sold the bond, sending the price lower.