Investor confidence has plunged to the lowest level in decades amid concerns over bleak economic prospects.
With the downtrend in share prices continuing unabated, the Tokyo Stock Exchange's key market gauges hit post-bubble lows Tuesday.
The 225-issue Nikkei average ended at 9,475.6, a level unseen since Dec. 15, 1983. The Topix index of all shares listed on the first section ended at 926.27, its lowest since Feb. 13, 1985.