A strong earthquake has shaken north-eastern Japan in the same region devastated by a giant tsunami and temblor 2-1/2 years ago.
There were no immediate reports of injuries from the quake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.0 that struck today.
NHK TV said there were no immediate reports of problems at any of the nuclear power plants in the area, including Fukushima Dai-ichi plant that went into multiple meltdowns after the March 2011 tsunami.
NHK says some roads were blocked off and some trains stopped running temporarily for safety checks.
The Japan Meteorological Agency says the quake was centred near the coast of Miyagi Prefecture, north-eastern Japan, and shook a wide region, including Fukushima and Iwate prefectures. There was no risk of a tsunami.