Tokyo stocks close sharply lower

TOKYO - Tokyo stocks closed sharply lower Thursday with the key Nikkei index falling 3.03 percent.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Average plunged 240.58 points to 7,705.36.

The broader Topix index shed 17.81 points, or 2.29 percent, to 760.29.

Toyota Motors fell 90 yen, or nearly 3 percent, to 3,050 yen while volume leader Toshiba gained 6 yen, or more than 2 percent, to 262 yen.

Trading volume on the main section expanded to 1,921.65 million shares from 1,860.45 million Tuesday.