Tokyo, March 15 - Stocks in Japan dived in Tuesday morning trading, extending a similar fall the day before, as concerns that last week's quake and tsunami, which unleashed devastation and a nuclear accident, would put a halt to Japan's lacklustre recovery.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average plunged 606.61 points, or 6.31 percent, to 9,013.88 while the broader Topix index dropped even further by 61.35 points, or 7.24 percent, to 785.61.

The drops followed Friday's magnitude-9 quake and tsunami, which struck northeastern Japan. They were the largest seen since the 2008 global financial crisis and added to losses Monday when the Nikkei fell 6.18 percent and the Topix 7.49 percent.

Among the worst performers Tuesday was the Tokyo Electric Power Co, the operator of the nuclear power plant in Fukushima, 240 km north of Tokyo, where explosions have occurred in three reactors.

Other nuclear-related stocks, insurance companies and car companies were among the hardest hit after carmakers say their vehicles swept away and damaged in the disaster. (dpa)