(Adds comments, updates stock prices)

By Junko Fujita

TOKYO, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Japan's Nikkei share average

fell 2% on Tuesday, as investors sold off technology stocks

following Wall Street's sharp decline overnight, while

tourism-related sectors were mixed after a sharp selloff in the

previous session.

The Nikkei was down 2% at 49,325.51, as of 0126 GMT,

after falling as much as 2.4% earlier in the day to 49,107.31,

its lowest since November 5. The broader Topix slipped

1.5% to 3,297.41.

"High-flying heavyweight technology stocks were sold off

today, a typical trend when investors turned to a risk-off

mode," said Hitoshi Asaoka, chief strategist at Asset Management

One.

"Wall Street's overnight declines were led by economically

sensitive stocks, which is different from today's Japanese

market."

U.S. stocks ended sharply lower on Monday, with the S&P 500

and the Nasdaq closing below a key technical indicator for the

first time since late April as investors braced for quarterly

results from retailers and Nvidia ( NVDA ) and awaited a

long-delayed U.S. jobs report this week.

Nvidia ( NVDA ), the world's largest company by market value

and which is at the heart of Wall Street's artificial

intelligence trade, is due to report after the bell on

Wednesday.

In Japan, technology investor SoftBank Group fell

5%. Chip-related Tokyo Electron ( TOELF ) and Advantest ( ADTTF )

lost 3.99% and 2.15%, respectively.

Ryohin Keikaku ( RYKKF ), operator of Muji brand stores,

gained 1.55% following a 9.4% decline in the previous session.

Department store Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings ( IMHDF ) reversed

early gains to fall 0.64%.

Retail stocks fell sharply on Monday after China warned its

citizens against travel to Japan amid a worsening diplomatic

rift over Taiwan.

All but one of the Tokyo Stock Exchange's 33 industry

sub-indexes fell, with the nonferrous sector shedding

5% to become the worst performer.

Fibre optic cable makers, the beneficiaries of AI trade,

fell, with Fujikura ( FKURF ) and Sumitomo Electric Industries ( SMTOF )

losing 6% each.

(Reporting by Junko Fujita; Editing by Tom Hogue and Subhranshu

Sahu)