Earthquake hits eastern Japan

Tokyo, Jan 1 (IBNS) An earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale shook eastern and northeastern Japan on the New Year on Sunday afternoon, but there was no report of any major casualty or destruction yet.

Media reports from Japan said the tremor was felt around 2.28 pm and it also shook capital Tokyo.

The other affected areas are Miyagi, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba, Saitama and Kanagawa prefectures.

There was no immediate tsunami warning.

Japan witnessed a major disaster in 2011 as a powerful earthquake measuring 9.0 in the Richter scale hit the nation and caused huge damage of life and properties.

The tremor was considered to be the biggest in the quake-prone country. The quake that struck on Mar 11 triggered a 10-metre high tsunami and a major nuclear crisis.

Reports said about 28,000 people were dead or missing since the tsunami.

The massive quake was followed by a more lethal radioactive leak at the Fukushima nuclear power plant which had posed a major threat to the nation.

It also forced several nations of the world to reconsider constructing nuclear power plants.