Magnitude 6.8 earthquake jolts northern Japan
A 6.8 magnitude earthquake that also measured a strong 5 on the shindo (intensity) scale struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on Saturday but no tsunami warning was issued, Japanese and U.S. authorities said, with no immediate reports of damage.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the midmorning quake hit at a depth of 47 kilometers (29 miles) in the Pacific, off Ishinomaki, Miyagi prefecture, near the epicenter of the huge March 2011 quake that triggered a towering tsunami, killing more than 18,000 people.
The USGS and Meteorological Agency said there was no tsunami risk following the jolt, which produced strong shaking along parts of the eastern coast and was also felt in Tokyo.
Officials in Aomori, Fukushima and Iwate said no casualties had been reported and public broadcaster NHK said there were no immediate reports of damage.
But a Meteorological Agency official warned strong aftershocks may hit the region in about a week, adding that expected bad weather may trigger landslides following the latest ground shaking.
Two people were slightly injured after windows were broken at a station in Onagawa, Miyagi, NHK said.
“We are aware of the news but still collecting information,” said Kazuto Takeda, an official with the prefecture’s disaster management office.
NHK also said a woman in her 80s was treated in hospital after she fell at a supermarket in Fukushima.
Some sections of expressways and train services, including those on the Tohoku Shinkansen Line, were suspended following the temblor, which was also felt in Tokyo.
News On Japan - Nov 24
It's Shichi-Go-San, the Japanese festival season for celebrating the healthy growth of children, with Aibo the robot dog giving prayer at a shrine in Fukuoka, on Friday.
HISTORY - Nov 24
Japan has had multiple incidents that may have included the work of aliens. See more in this compilation from Ancient Aliens.
tweaktown.com - Nov 23
Minecraft isn't just a game where you can let your imagination and creativity run wild; it can also be used to demonstrate real-world projects, or at least that is what Japan's government appears to be doing.
newsonjapan.com - Nov 21
For many of us, particularly those of a certain age, Japan is the country that built the gaming industry.
NHK - Nov 20
The operator of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant says it finished the third round of the treated and diluted water discharge into the sea as planned.
News On Japan - Nov 18
Honda is set to launch an unmanned autonomous taxi service in Tokyo's Odaiba area in about two years.
NHK - Nov 18
Japan's space agency says it aims to make a second attempt to launch the country's new flagship H3 rocket by the end of next March.
News On Japan - Nov 17
The Japan Pharmaceutical Association will begin experimental sales of "emergency contraceptives," aimed at preventing unwanted pregnancies, at approximately 150 pharmacies nationwide starting from Nov 28 as part of a feasibility study to make them available without a doctor's prescription.
News On Japan - Nov 17
The new island that emerged off the coast of Iwo Jima last month continues to spew ash and lava every few minutes.
News On Japan - Nov 16
Last year's average global concentration of greenhouse gases recorded their highest levels since statistics began in 1984, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
NHK - Nov 16
Japan's Environment Ministry says levels of tritium in seawater off the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant remain below detectable amounts.
newsonjapan.com - Nov 15
The main goal for any business is considered to be to increase the growth of sales or service delivery.
NHK - Nov 15
Japanese astronaut Onishi Takuya, a former passenger jet pilot, will head to the International Space Station around 2025.
ndtv.com - Nov 14
Recently, Japan's McDonald's has introduced an innovative system in some locations where washrooms have a slot designed to sanitise our phones.
Nikkei - Nov 14
Japan will ease regulations on clinical trials for new drugs developed overseas, Nikkei has learned, scrapping the rule that in principle drugs' safety must be tested on Japanese before they can be launched in the domestic market.
Running2Redline - Nov 12
The V8 engine is one of the best formats out there, and when Japanese manufacturers gave it a try, the result was incredible. In this installation of the engine tier list series, we find out which of the Japanese V8s comes out on top!