Around the World's Markets: Tokyo

THE JAPANESE stock market posted its largest one-day drop this year following the Bank of Japan's decision to keep monetary policy unchanged and the yen's continuing rise.

The Nikkei 225 tumbled 607.03 points, or 3.39 per cent, to close at 17,325.76. It was the largest one-day drop since 8 October, 1998, when the index fell 799.55 points to close at 13,026.06. Shares of export-driven and high-tech companies such as Sony and Toshiba were the hardest hit.