TOKYO: Japanese stocks slipped on Wednesday as weakness on Wall Street soured risk sentiment, while the spotlight fell on Takeda Pharmaceutical which stumbled after it sweetened its takeover bid for Shire to 46 billion pounds ($64 billion).
The Nikkei ended 0.3 per cent lower to 22,215.32.
Takeda dived 7.0 per cent as investors fretted about its ability to finance the cash and stock deal.
Shire said in a statement it had agreed to extend a Wednesday regulatory deadline for the deal talks to conclude to May 8 in order to allow Takeda to carry out more due diligence and firm up its bid.
Construction equipment makers were also sold-off after an overnight fall in Caterpillar Inc, which was hit by concerns that rising materials costs could squeeze profit margins following US President Donald Trump's crackdown on steel imports.
Komatsu Ltd dropped 3.4 per cent and Hitachi Construction Machinery shed 3.5 per cent.
The broader Topix declined 0.1 per cent to 1,767.73.
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