TOKYO – A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.1 jolted central and eastern Japan yesterday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, but it did not issue a tsunami alert.
The quake was also felt in Tokyo. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage. The focus of the tremor was 20km (12 miles) below the surface of the earth, off the coast of Shizuoka prefecture, about 200km (124 miles) west of Tokyo.
All reactors at Chubu Electric Power’s Hamaoka nuclear plant in Shizuoka are shut after Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan called for its closure, citing research showing the area is at high risk for a major earthquake. – (Reuters)
