Strong earthquake shakes Japan

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 jolted northern Japan yesterday, seismologists said, shaking buildings in the capital Tokyo some 240km away.

There were no reports of injuries or damage and no tsunami warning was issued. The magnitude of the quake, at 5.08pm, was measured at 6.6 by the US Geological Survey and the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The epicentre was about 40km beneath the ocean off Honshu, Japan's main island.

Tokyo Electric Power Company said its two nuclear power plants in the region were operating normally. Tohoku Electric Power Company said operations at its Onagawa and Higashidori nuclear power plants were also normal.

Operations at Fujitsu's semiconductor plant in Fukushima prefecture were also not affected by the quake, an official at the firm said.