Fears over Japan's economic weakness on Monday helped push the dollar past 146 yen and pull Tokyo stock prices below the psychologically important 15,000 line for the first time in five months.
At 5 p.m., the dollar traded at 146.43-46 yen, up from 144.01-04 yen the same time Friday and from 144.15-25 yen late Friday in New York. It was the first time for the dollar to hit 146 yen since August 1990.
The 225-issue Nikkei average ended the day at 14,825.17, down 197.16 points from Friday's close at 15,022.33. The level is the lowest since Jan. 13.