Tokyo - Tokyo stocks lost more than 3 per cent Tuesday morning on Wall Street's overnight falls and the yen's advance against the US dollar.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 Stock Average plunged 299.06 points, or 3.35 per cent, to 8,625.69.

The broader Topix index of all first-section issues was down 28.12 points, or 3.31 per cent, at 820.18.

Tokyo investors dumped mostly export-oriented issues, as a stronger yen whittles the earnings of Japanese firms.

On currency markets at 9 am (0000 GMT), the dollar traded at 97.72-77 yen, down from Monday's 5 pm quote of 99.03-05 yen.

The euro traded at 1.2902-07 dollars, down from late Monday's quote of 1.2984-86 dollars, and at 126.12-15 yen, down from 128.58-62 yen. (dpa)