The Nikkei 225 dipped 257 points or 0.7% to 39,052 around noon on Tuesday, reversing from a surge in the prior session.

The decline reflected weakness in tech services, communications, and consumer services.

Traders digested a media report that the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US has told the White House it is unable to reach a consensus on national security risks involved in Nippon Steel's bid for US Steel.

Meanwhile, the Japan Fair Trade Commission is set to punish Google for unfair practices. The IT company can be fined up to JPY 300 million, local media said. Limiting further losses was an upbeat session on Wall Street Monday on the back of a rally in semiconductor stocks. TDK Corp. fell 2.3%, followed by Reneas Electronics (-2.2%), Fujitsu (-2.1%), and Softbank Group (-1.3%).

By contrast, Honda surged 13.6%, as its merger with Nissan, which will be operational in August 2026, could hit combined annual sales of JPY 30 trillion and an operating profit over JPY 3 trillion.

Source: Trading Economics