Tokyo, June 23 (QNA) - Japan's Nikkei index fell to a one-week low on Tuesday after a strong rally that had propelled it to successive record highs, prompting investors to lock in profits.
The Nikkei fell 3.6 percent to 69,788.38, hitting its lowest level in a week and closing below the 70,000 mark for the first time since last Wednesday.
The broader Topix index also fell 2.6 percent to 3,990.38.
The decline followed a strong rally driven by continued buying of artificial intelligence and semiconductor-related shares, which pushed the Nikkei above the 72,000 level for the first time on Monday, just two sessions after it broke through the 71,000 mark.
A total of 184 stocks on the Nikkei 225 declined, while 41 advanced.
AI-related stocks, which had been the main driver of the market's latest rally, led the losses ahead of Micron Technology's earnings announcement.
Shares of memory-chip maker Kioxia plunged 15.1 percent, while technology investment firm SoftBank Group fell 10.1 percent. Meanwhile, Fujikura, a manufacturer of cables and optical fibers, rose 5.3 percent.
Among other decliners, cable and component maker Furukawa Electric dropped 15.5 percent, while non-ferrous metals producer Mitsui Kinzoku fell 12.6 percent.
Among the biggest percentage gainers, Meiji Holdings, a maker of dairy products and confectionery, rose 3.5 percent, while logistics company Nichirei gained 3.1 percent. (QNA)