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TOKYO, JAPAN - JAN. 14: Tokyo stocks plunged Thursday, with the Nikkei index briefly falling more than 4 percent, as concerns over the global economic downturn amid China's slowdown continued to roil investors. The 225-issue Nikkei Stock Average ended down 474.68 points, or 2.68 percent, from Wednesday at 17,240.95, its lowest closing level since late September. The broader Topix index of all First Section issues on the Tokyo Stock Exchange finished 35.54 points, or 2.46 percent, lower at 1406.55. Every industry category on the main section lost ground, led by mining, wholesale trade and pharmaceutical issues. Stocks fell sharply in early trading, gradually extending losses before paring them somewhat in the late afternoon as Shanghai stocks rose into positive territory after declining for most of the day. The Nikkei breached the 17,000 line during trading for the first time since Sept. 29 last year. Tokyo stocks remained vulnerable throughout the day on renewed global stock market instability following a steep sell-off on Wall Street overnight.