Tokyo, July 03: A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 shook northern Japan today, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The quake was centered about 50 kilometers under the seabed off the coast of Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido, the meteorological agency said. It struck at 8:52 am (5:22 am IST yesterday).

The agency said there was no danger of tsunami, powerful ocean waves caused by seismic activity. The quake was most strongly felt in Kushiro, about 830 kilometers north of Tokyo.

An earthquake of magnitude 6 or higher can inflict widespread damage when centered in a heavily populated area.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, sitting atop four tectonic plates, slabs that move across the Earth's surface.

Bureau Report