Tokyo stocks opened sharply lower Friday, with the benchmark Nikkei stock index falling to a three-month intraday low, as the market mood was soured by the fatal terrorist attack in Barcelona, Spain.

As of 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 229.84 points, or 1.17 percent, from Thursday to 19,472.79.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile, fell 18.99 points, or 1.18 percent, to 1,595.83.

Insurance, nonferrous metal and securities-linked stocks comprised those that declined the most in the early minutes of trade.