Tokyo's benchmark index closed down 4.73 percent Tuesday as investors took their lead from a sell-off on Wall Street, while a surging yen hit exporters.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index closed down 4.73 percent or 1,071.84 points at 21,610.24, after diving more than seven percent earlier.

It is the worst single-day fall in percentage points since the November 2016 election of US President Donald Trump.

The broader Topix index slumped 4.40 percent, or 80.33 points, to 1,743.41.

(File photo)