A large earthquake measuring 6,4 on the Richter scale hit northern Japan late on Friday.
The northern region of Tohoku felt ”a strong jolt” from the quake, which happened at 10.13pm local time, according to the meteorological agency.
The quake was located off the Pacific coast of northern Miyagi prefecture, roughly 350km north-east of Tokyo.
The quake happened 40km underground, the agency said, adding that there was no tsunami warning.
A spokesperson for the Miyagi police said there were no reports of damage or casualties.
The areas around Miyagi frequently experience large earthquakes, and experts fear a big one could hit the region in the near future.
The area was hit by a 7,2-magnitude quake in August, which shut down traffic but caused little other damage.
Friday’s quake was also felt strongly in the centre of Tokyo, shaking high-rise buildings designed to withstand powerful tremors.
The quake followed a moderate earthquake measuring 4,3 on the Richter scale that hit central Japan.
The first tremor struck at 9.54pm about 50km underground in Saitama prefecture, just north of Tokyo, the agency said.
Japan experiences 20% of the world’s major earthquakes. — Sapa-AFP