An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 shook eastern Japan early Friday, the weather agency said.
The temblor struck at around 3:24 a.m. in the Pacific Ocean off Chiba Prefecture with a focus about 30 kilometers below the surface, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. The agency did not issue a tsunami warning.
The quake registered 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture and the northeastern part of Chiba Prefecture. The shaking was felt across a wide area from central to northeastern Japan, including in Tokyo.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or property damage from the quake.
Almost simultaneously with the temblor, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency issued an emergency earthquake warning, saying a quake with a seismic intensity of up to lower 5 may hit eastern Japan and asking residents in the area to prepare for a strong shake.
KYODO NEWS
