Tokyo - Tokyo investors sold issues to lock in profit Tuesday due to anxiety over North Korea's nuclear test, sending the key Nikkei index lower. The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average was down 36.19 points, or 0.39 per cent, to close at 9,310.81.
But the broader Topix index of all first-section issues was up 0.77 points, or 0.09 per cent, to 883.77.
Investors were also cautious ahead of the results of the US home price and consumer confidence index to be released later in the day and Japan's April trade balance due Wednesday.
On the currency markets at midday (0300 GMT), the dollar traded at 94.67-72 yen, down from Monday's 5 pm quote of 94.98-95.00 yen.
The euro traded at 1.3975-80 dollars, down from late Monday's quote of 1.3984-85 dollars, and at 132.35-40 yen, down from 132.82-86 yen.
