TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei stock average edged down 0.2 percent on Monday after Japan's economy suffered its biggest contraction in over three decades and the yen crept up, leading to selling of Canon Inc and other exporters.
But falls were braked by gains in defensive shares such as drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo as investors sought stocks seen resilient in the face of economic distress.
The benchmark Nikkei briefly ventured into positive territory but ultimately shed 16.37 points to 7,763.03, while the broader Topix rose 0.7 percent to 769.59.
