Tokyo, Japan (BBN)-Investors in Asia were trading with caution on Tuesday ahead of a US Federal Reserve meeting on Wednesday and amid a fall in oil prices.
Oil prices fell by nearly 3 per cent after Iran put off plans to join nations proposing a freeze on production, reports BBC.
Tokyo's Nikkei 225 was down 0.15 per cent to 17,210.92 points in morning trade.
Investors there will be also be watching for the outcome of a two-day meeting of Japan's central bank which wraps up later today.
Expectations are that the bank will not move on its negative lending rates, which it introduced earlier this year in a surprise move.
Elsewhere, Australia's benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was down 1.24 per cent to 5,121.20, weighed down by energy-related shares which were down on the fall in oil prices.
BHP Billiton's Sydney-listed shares were down 2 per cent, together with shares in Woodside.
Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 0.5 per cent to 20,329.38, while the Shanghai Composite was down 0.45 per cent to 2,845.30.
South Korea's benchmark Kospi index was flat at 1,971.88.
BBN/SK/AD