Tokyo stocks opened lower on Friday morning as investors opted to take profits following the market's recent run of gains, with traders noting that the sizable earthquakes last night and early this morning in the southwest of the nation had not affected markets here.

As of 9:15 a.m., the 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average dropped 44.07 points, or 0.26 percent, from Thursday to 16,866.98.

The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, meanwhile. lost 7.11 points, or 0.52 percent, to 1,364.24.

Notable early decliners comprised electric power and gas, banking, and real estate-linked stocks.