A scientist says fresh strain is believed to have built up along active faults following Monday's major earthquake in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan.

Shinji Toda, a professor at Tohoku University, analyzed the effects of the quake on nearby active faults.

Toda has found that strain is building up in large areas of 2 fault zones located to the west and north of the epicenter. He says it's believed that strain may have been applied in part of a fault zone on the east side.

Toda also says he believes a major quake is now more likely to occur in and around Osaka than past data would indicate, even though when it will come is unknown.

The central government's earthquake research committee says a huge earthquake could occur if there's a slip along all of each of those 3 fault zones.