Asian stocks experienced a downturn on Friday, driven by tech-led losses in the U.S. and ongoing geopolitical concerns. Japan's Nikkei 225 index was notably impacted, falling 2.26% to 38,196.53 points by noon, and dropping below 38,000 points intraday with a 2.86% decline. The Nikkei share average fell 2%, tracking Wall Street’s decline overnight and on the yen’s strength. The ASX 200 and KOSPI also saw declines of 1.1% and 0.3%, respectively. The Nikkei's drop was exacerbated by the yen's strength, which added pressure to Japanese stocks.