Powerful Quake Hits Northeastern Japan

Tokyo, June 25 (Jiji Press)–A powerful earthquake hit the Tohoku region of northeastern Japan on Thursday morning, measuring upper 6, the second-highest level on the country’s seismic intensity scale, in Aomori Prefecture. The temblor, with an estimated magnitude of 6.9, occurred around 7:30 a.m. at a depth of about 50 kilometers off Iwate Prefecture, south of Aomori, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. No tsunamis are believed to have occurred as a result of the earthquake. The seismic intensity level of upper 6 was registered in the Aomori town of Hashikami. The neighboring city of Hachinohe in the prefecture logged lower 6, the third-highest level on the Japanese scale, the agency said. East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, suspended both northbound and southbound services of the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train line between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations due to the quake. The government set up an emergency response office at the crisis management center of the prime ministers office. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi instructed government staff to quickly grasp the extent of damage and provide information to the public. She urged people to be on alert for possible earthquakes of a similar size. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference that no injuries from the temblor have been reported so far. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]