Nikkei 225 Falls 2.5% at Tokyo Morning Close, Topix Down 0.5%

The divergence matters more than the headline drop: a 2.5% fall in the Nikkei against just 0.5% on the broader Topix points to weakness concentrated in heavyweight blue chips rather than a broad-based selloff. That distinction shapes how the session is read — index-level moves driven by a handful of large constituents can overstate the stress felt across the wider market. Whether the gap persists through the afternoon close, or the Topix catches down, is the open question.