Earthquake jolts northern Japan

A strong earthquake hit northern Japan today, the Meteorological Agency said, but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

The magnitude-5.9 quake struck at 11.30am (2.30am Irish Time) and was centred near Kunashiri island, the agency said. There was no danger of tsunami waves, it added.

Kunashiri is one of four islands north of Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost main island, controlled by Russia but claimed by Japan. It is about 590 miles north of Tokyo.

The quake was felt strongly in Kushiro in Hokkaido, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

Japan sits at the juncture of four tectonic plates – or moving slabs of the earth’s outer crust – and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.