6.3 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Northern Japan, No Tsunami Warning Issued

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the earthquake occurred at 8:22 PM (11:22 GMT) in the Pacific waters off the coast of Miyagi prefecture. This earthquake follows a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake that struck near the region in April, which triggered a tsunami warning at the time.

The JMA has warned that large earthquakes could occur in the region, even after lifting the special warning issued after the April earthquake. Public broadcaster NHK said on Friday that no abnormalities had been detected at nuclear power plants in Miyagi and Fukushima, located about 125 kilometers (78 miles) from the earthquake’s epicenter.

East Japan Railway announced that Shinkansen bullet train operations were temporarily suspended due to the earthquake.

Japan is one of the most seismically active countries in the world, located on top of four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire.” The country has strict building codes aimed at ensuring that buildings can withstand strong earthquakes.

However, Japan is still haunted by memories of the devastating 9.0 magnitude undersea earthquake in 2011, which triggered a tsunami that killed about 18,500 people and caused the Fukushima nuclear power plant disaster.