TOKYO, March 21 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks lost ground Tuesday morning as Wall Street's losses created a weak tone, while a firm yen against the U.S. dollar dented investor sentiment and sent exporters lower.
The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 51.97 points, or 0.27 percent, from Friday to 19,469.62.
The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange fell 1.51 points, or 0.10 percent, to 1,564.34.
Notable issues that lost ground by the morning break comprised iron and steel, insurance, and securities-linked stocks.
Markets in Tokyo were closed on Monday for a national holiday.
