Moderate quake hits northern Japan

A moderate 5.4-magnitude offshore earthquake hit northern Japan on Monday, the US Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage and no tsunami alert was issued.

A moderate 5.4-magnitude offshore earthquake hit northern Japan on Monday, the US Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage and no tsunami alert was issued.

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The quake struck at 2:26 pm (0526 GMT) in a narrow ocean strait between Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, 55 kilometres (35 miles) northwest of the city of Aomori, at a depth of 163 kilometres, the US agency said.

Around 20 percent of the world's most powerful earthquakes strike Japan.