By Agence France-Presse
Tokyo shares ended lower Wednesday with investors sitting their hands as US and Chinese trade negotiators prepared to meet again.
A woman walks past a stock quotation board flashing the Nikkei 225 key index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange in front of a securities company in Tokyo on May 8, 2017. (AFP FILE PHOTO / Toru YAMANAKA/ Manila Bulletin)
The market was also in wait-and-see mode ahead of the US Federal Reserve's policy decision later Wednesday, meaning major indices spent much of the day in the red.
The Nikkei 225 index, which opened briefly in positive territory, ended down 0.52 percent, or 108.10 points, to 20,556.54 while the broader Topix index lost 0.41 percent, or 6.33 points, at 1,550.76.