Tokyo Stocks Close Lower Wednesday

Tokyo shares eased Wednesday after three straight days of gains, as investors nervously eye Britain's historic vote on its future in the European Union.

    Dealers shrugged off a rise on Wall Street, with many keeping to the sidelines ahead of Thursday's British referendum as those calling to stay in the EU warn over the negative impact of an exit.

    The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed down 0.64%, or 103.39 points, to 16,065.72, while the Topix index of all first-section shares slipped 0.72%, or 9.29 points, to 1,284.61 and the JPX-Nikkei Index 400 dropped 0.65% to 11,594.15.

    Turnover on the broader market was 1.704 trillion yen, the lowest in three weeks, reflecting nervousness before Thursday's referendum which determines whether Britain stays in the European Union.