SYDNEY (March 12): Japanese shares tumbled on Thursday, with major indexes at three-year lows after the United States rattled markets by imposing sweeping restrictions on travel from Europe and world health officials declared the coronavirus a pandemic.

The benchmark Nikkei average slumped 4.4% to 18,559.63, its lowest closing level since April 2017. The fall was the second-biggest one-day decline in 15 months and dragged the index into bear market territory — 23% off its Jan 17 peak.