TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Tokyo stocks ended lower on Monday, as investors locked in gains following U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats against countries opposing a U.S. acquisition of Greenland, and ahead of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's expected announcement of her intention to call a snap election.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Japanese government bond briefly rose to 2.275 percent, its highest level since February 1999, fueled by concerns that Japan's fiscal health could further worsen after the general election under Takaichi's expansionary fiscal policy.

The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 352.60 points, or 0.65 percent, from Friday at 53,583.57. The broader Topix index finished 2.28 points, or 0.06 percent, lower at 3,656.40.

On the top-tier Prime Market, the main decliners were rubber product, precision instrument and transportation equipment issues.

Tokyo stocks started off on a weak note, with the benchmark Nikkei dropping more than 800 points at one point, as tensions grew between the United States and Europe over the weekend following Trump's announcement to impose new tariffs from Feb. 1 on goods from eight European countries opposing U.S. control of Greenland.

Some of the losses were trimmed toward the end of the day.

Masahiro Yamaguchi, head of investment research at SMBC Trust Bank, said Trump's new tariff announcement has "drawn some attention because it was the first time in a while" that he floated the idea against a major economic bloc, but added, "With Japan not directly affected, the market does not seem to be taking it too seriously."

A wait-and-see mood prevailed among investors as they awaited Takaichi's explanation, in her own words, at a press conference scheduled for later in the day on her plan to dissolve the House of Representatives for a general election.

The Greenland dispute, meanwhile, sent the U.S. dollar to the lower 157 yen range at one point in Tokyo as market players turned to the Japanese currency, seen as a safe-haven asset.

At 5 p.m., the dollar fetched 158.06-08 yen compared with 158.07-17 yen in New York and 158.16-18 yen in Tokyo at 5 p.m. Friday.

The euro was quoted at $1.1627-1628 and 183.78-82 yen against $1.1593-1603 and 183.33-43 yen in New York and $1.1611-1613 and 183.65-69 yen in Tokyo late Friday afternoon.

The key barometer of long-term interest rates ended up 0.090 percentage point from Friday's close at 2.270 percent.

Bond selling was triggered after the secretary general of the Liberal Democratic Party said Sunday that the ruling party intends to include a pledge to consider suspending the consumption tax on food in its campaign platform.

Stocks of food manufacturers were bought on expectations for a possible consumption tax cut affecting their products.