Tokyo shares open sharply lower on tumbling oil prices

Tokyo shares opened sharply lower Monday with its benchmark Nikkei index retreating over 2 percent, following declines in overseas equity markets amid concerns over oil prices' continued plunge.

At 9:15 a.m. local time, the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average tumbled 478.12 points, or 2.49 percent, from Friday to 18,752.36.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange was down 33.12 points, or 2.14 percent, to 1,516.39. Enditem