Strong earthquake jolts Japan

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 jolted eastern and northeastern Japan but there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage and no tsunami warning was issued.

The earthquake, measured 4 in central Tokyo, Fukushima and the surrounding areas on the Japanese intensity scale which measures ground motion, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, which uses a different measuring system than the US Geological Survey.

A spokesman for Tokyo Electric Power said there were no reports of any abnormalities at the tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plan following the quake.

Some high-speed train services in northern Japan were suspended after the earthquake, but soon resumed operations, Kyodo news reported.

The 7.0 magnitude earthquake, at a depth of about nearly 217 miles, was recorded near the southern islands of Torishima some 1118 miles southeast of Tokyo at 0527 GMT, the US Geological Survey reported.

The Hawaii-based US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has not issued a tsunami warning following the earthquake located south-southwest of Hachijo-jima in the Izu islands.