New Delhi, Sept. 3 -- Asian shares declined Wednesday, echoing a fall on Wall Street, as political uncertainty took centerstage in Japan, making for cautious trading on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 shed 0.2% in morning trading to 42,222.36.

The fate of Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has been uncertain for weeks, with calls growing both for him to resign and to remain, after a recent election defeat and the rise of fringe parties have shaken public faith in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Confidence was rocked further by a recent comment from Ishiba's ally, Hiroshi Moriyama, who said he was stepping down as party secretary general.

"The political tremor is domestic, with Prime Minister Ishiba's key...