TOKYO, April 12 (Reuters) - Japanese shares fell on Tuesday to their lowest in nearly four weeks, with index heavyweight tech stocks leading the decline following a sharp overnight drop on Wall Street.
By 0204 GMT, the Nikkei share average was down 1.5% at 26,424.42, while the broader Topix had slipped 1.28% to 1,865.50.
Wall Street closed sharply lower overnight as investors started the holiday-shortened week in a risk-off mood, as rising bond yields weighed on market-leading growth stocks ahead of key inflation data.
Resona Asset Management's chief strategist, Koichi Kurose, said concerns over COVID-19 lockdowns in China and rising commodity prices also weighed on investor sentiment in Japan.
Uniqlo clothing shop owner Fast Retailing was the biggest drag on the Nikkei, falling 2.05%. Robot maker Fanuc fell 4.53% and healthcare equipment maker Terumo lost 3.41%.
Game maker Sony Group and Keyence, a maker of sensors and touch panels, pulled the Topix lower, falling 2.56% and 2.77%, respectively.
Shipping was the worst sector among the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33 sub-indexes, losing 5.06%. Mitsui O.S.K. Lines fell 6.2% and was the worst performer on the Nikkei.
Peers Nippon Yusen dropped 4.88% and Kawasaki Kisen slipped 4.27%.
Airlines were the top performers, rising 1.34%, after the S&P 1500 Airline index gained 2.7% overnight on falling crude prices.
Takashimaya jumped 3.39% and was the top gainer on the Nikkei after the department store operator forecast a better-than-expected annual profit and announced the closure of an outlet in Tokyo. (Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Subhranshu Sahu)
