TOKYO, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo stocks fell sharply Thursday morning in the wake of U.S shares tumbling overnight on inflation concerns, while the yen's firmness against the U.S. dollar also weighed on the market and dragged exporter issues down.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 353.27 points, or 1.60 percent, from Wednesday to 21,714.97.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 28.15 points, or 1.59 percent, at 1,740.09.

Mining, machinery and metal product-oriented issues comprised those that retreated the most by the morning break.