Tokyo stocks lost ground again Wednesday, hitting a fresh 16-month low as investor disappointment increased toward policymakers' inaction to stem the yen's recent advance.
After falling below the psychologically important 9,000 mark a day earlier, the Nikkei 225 index shed another 149.75 points, or 1.66 percent, to end at 8,845.39, its lowest closing level since April 30 last year, when it finished at 8.828.26.
Meanwhile, the yen traded at 84.56-59 to the dollar as of 5 p.m. after appreciating to 83.60 the previous day, the strongest since June 1995.