Japan's Nikkei share average closed at a near three-week low on Wednesday, with SoftBank Group leading the decline, as investors locked in profits on AI-related stocks that had powered the market's recent rally.
The Nikkei slipped 1.23% to 59,804.41, its lowest close since May 1. The index ended lower for a fifth consecutive session. The broader Topix declined 1.53% to 3,791.65.