Tokyo stocks drop below 16,000 line

Continued bearish sentiment on Tuesday further dampened Tokyo's financial markets, with the benchmark stock index sliding for a fourth trading day in a row and the key long-term interest rate hitting a fresh low.

    The benchmark 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended at 15,859.00, down 160.18 points, or 1%, from Monday, closing below the psychologically important 16,000 mark for the first time since April 12, according to Japan's (Kyodo) News Agency.

    Investors are increasingly wary amid uncertainty over next week's Brexit referendum, in which UK voters will decide on whether Britain exits the European Union.

    In the bond market in Tokyo, the yield on the key 10-year Japanese government bond hit an all-time low of minus 0.175% on Tuesday afternoon, down 0.01 of a percentage point from the previous day. Also, the yen strengthened into the high 105-range against the dollar.