Japan’s Nikkei share average dropped to a one-week low on Wednesday as an overnight fall in US shares triggered profit-taking after the index scaled a 15-year peak earlier in the week.
The Nikkei ended 0.6 per cent lower at 18,703.60 points.
Noticeable decliners include Sharp Corp, which dropped 5.3 per cent, after a cut to its credit rating by Standard & Poor's.
Sharp fell as much as 10 per cent at one point on Tuesday after a source said it will seek new funds for further restructuring from its two main lenders.
The broader Topix ended 0.6 per cent lower at 1,517.01 and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 lost 0.7 per cent to 13,777.51.