TOKYO, Feb 8, 2010 (AFP) - Japanese stocks slid 1.05 percent on Monday, ending below the key 10,000-point level for the first time in almost two months as investors worried about a stronger yen and Europe's debt woes.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange's benchmark Nikkei-225 index fell 105.27 points to 9,951.82, the lowest close since December 10. The broader Topix index of all first-section shares lost 8.77 points, or 0.98 percent, to 883.01.

The yen's recent strength hit exporters, while worries about the public finances of European nations such as Greece also kept investors cautious.

"The market's biggest concern is the European fiscal situation, and this problem won't be solved any time soon," Nikko Cordial senior strategist Tsuyoshi Kawata told Dow Jones Newswires.

Toyota fell 1.05 percent, extending its recent plunge, following reports that the company is set to recall the latest model of its popular Prius hybrid this week, the most recent in a string of safety issues besetting the company.