A strong earthquake measuring 5,0 on the Richter scale struck Tokyo and other eastern Japanese areas on Wednesday, leaving at least five people injured, the meteorological agency and a news report said.
The tremors were powerful enough to make tall buildings in central Tokyo shake noticeably for several seconds.
No tidal wave warning was issued, the agency said.
The focus of the quake, which occurred at about 4.30pm (7.30am GMT), was 80km under the northeast coast of the Tokyo Bay, about 30km east of the capital’s downtown area.
At least three people were injured in the capital in quake-related accidents, the Tokyo Fire Department said.
”One of them, a 74-year-old woman, was seriously injured as she fell on the stairs from the second floor of her house,” said a spokesman for the fire department.
Public broadcasting network NHK said two others were also injured in Chiba, east of Tokyo.
Shinkansen bullet train services were temporarily suspended near Tokyo due to an automatic shutdown in electricity supply, officials said. — Sapa-AFP