Strong quake shakes northeastern Japan, no danger of tsunami

TOKYO – A strong earthquake late Friday shook northeastern Japan off the coast of Fukushima, the region hit by a massive quake and tsunami in 2011 that triggered a nuclear plant meltdown, but there were no reports of damage or injuries.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami. It said the quake struck at about midnight and measured a preliminary magnitude of 5.9. It was centred about 50 kilometres (30 miles) below the ocean’s surface, it said.

The shaking was felt 240 kilometres (150 miles) away in Tokyo, Japan’s capital. Public broadcaster NHK said local trains stopped temporarily for safety checks but then resumed service.

The utility that operates the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant said its safety checks found no new abnormality.