TOKYO: A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early Sunday, injuring at least five people, officials said. There was no danger of a tsunami.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, the quake occurred in the southern Ibaraki prefecture, at a depth of 70 kilometers (42 miles), an area of Japan prone to frequent quakes. The United States Geological Survey recorded a preliminary magnitude of 5.8.
The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said at least five people were injured in Ibaraki, Chiba and Saitama prefectures northeast of Tokyo. The agency said more people were injured and details are being investigated, the FDMA said.
The quake caused delays to express trains serving Tokyo and Narita Airport and other local trains serving northeastern regions, but Shinkansen bullet trains were running normally, their operator East Japan Raiway Co. said.
The government set up a task force to assess the extent of possible damage, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on X.
