Asian Markets Update: Japanese Stocks Fall for the Fifth Day Running

HONG KONG -- Japanese stocks fell for the fifth day in a row, as the unsettled outlook over higher interest rates in the U.S. combined with domestic political concerns to cap investor enthusiasm for stocks, now 21% off their high reached last month.

The key Nikkei 225 index fell 67.28 points, or 0.4%, to 16,318.73, while the Topix index, which includes all shares listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange's first section, fell 2.65, to 1519.84. The Jasdaq small-cap index lost 3.08 or 3.8%, to 78.19 while the Nikkei over-the-counter index shed 48.70, or 2.8%, to 1696.91.

Helping to drive stocks lower were reports that the opposition could soon bring a no-confidence vote in the government of Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, over Mori's remarks that Japan is "a divine nation centering on the emperor." Mori's standing in public opinion polls remains low since making the remarks.

NTT Data Corp. plunged 150,000 yen, or 12.9% to 1.01 million, after it reported late Monday that it had lost 18.1 billion yen in the year ended March 31. The losses stemmed largely from a 64 billion yen write-off to make good on unfunded pension liabilities, a common problem in corporate Japan. Sony (SNE Quote) fell 280 yen or 2.7% to 10,000, while Hitachi (HIT Quote) lost 35, or 2.8% to 1235.

Against this trend, Fujitsu (FJTSY Quote) rose 45 or 1.5% to 3000 on a report that it plans to spend $1.4 billion on a new Japanese chip plant with Advanced Micro Devices. (AMD Quote) NTT Data's parent, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone (NTT Quote) rose 30,000 to 1.23 million.

Internet investor Softbank fell 1200 or 7.2% to 15,400.

In Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index rose after being in negative territory for the most of the day, gaining 116.45 points, or 0.8% to 14,257.18 in light trading worth just HK$9.2 billion ($1.2 billion). Index heavyweight China Telecom (CHL Quote) rose HK$1.45, or 2.9% to 50.25. Conglomerate Hutchison Whampoa (HUWHY Quote) fell 1.25 or 1.4% to 90.50, while banking group HSBC (HBC Quote) rose 50 to 83.75.

Intel Corp. (INTC Quote) is reportedly forming a strategic partnership with local phone giant Cable & Wireless HKT, (HKT Quote) which fell 0.10 to 17.95. HKT is the takeover target of local Internet investor Pacific Century CyberWorks, which also fell today, losing 0.05 to 14.40. According to the report on the local website, Quamnet, Intel will develop set-top boxes for HKT's multimedia customers.

South Korea's Kospi index fell 11.85 points, or 1.7%, to 679.76, while Taiwan's TWSE index lost 136.56 points, or 1.6%, to 8671.01. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSM Quote) fell NT$5.00, or 3.2%, to 153.00. Korea's Pohang Iron & Steel (PKX Quote) fell 500 won, or 0.6%, to 91,000.

The dollar saw early gains against the yen more than erased, on concerns that further falls in stock prices in the U.S. could lead to more dollar selling in the weeks to come. The dollar recently bought 106.66 yen.