A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5,2 jolted northern Japan on Wednesday, but there were no reports of damage or injuries, police said.
The offshore earthquake was centered about 70km beneath the seabed just off the coast of Iwate prefecture (state), the Meteorological Agency said. It struck at 3.08pm local time.
The temblor was felt most strongly in the prefectural capital of Morioka, 462km northeast of Tokyo. Keiji Takahashi, a police spokesperson in Morioka, said no damage or injuries were reported.
Japan’s high-speed ”bullet train” services linking Tokyo with northern Japan were temporarily suspended following the quake.
Three hours later, service had resumed after officials confirmed the tracks were safe, railway officials said.
The agency said there was no danger of tsunami, or powerful ocean waves caused by seismic activity.
An earthquake of magnitude five or higher can cause damage to homes and buildings if it hits a populated area.
Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries. It sits atop four tectonic plates, slabs that move across the earth’s surface. — Sapa-AP