Japan Retail Investors Sold $8 Billion of Shares as Topix Peaked

Japan’s retail investors cashed out of the nation’s equities last week with a record amount of selling while global investors piled in, driving the benchmark Topix index to an all-time high.

Individual investors sold net ¥1.2 trillion ($8 billion) of cash shares in the holiday-shortened week, according to data from Japan Exchange Group Inc. That’s the most in data stretching back to 1982, according to the Tokyo bourse. Foreign investors were net buyers for a 17th straight week.

The frenetic period of trading came after a weekend election that saw Japan’s ruling coalition take a blow by losing its majority ...