M6.3 Earthquake Strikes Northeastern Japan

Tokyo, May 15 (Jiji Press)--An earthquake with an estimated magnitude of 6.3 struck northeastern Japan on Friday, measuring up to lower 5, the fifth-highest level on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The quake occurred around 8:22 p.m. at a depth of about 50 kilometers off the coast of Miyagi Prefecture. It did not cause a tsunami.

The Miyagi city of Ishinomaki registered lower 5 on the seismic intensity scale, and the Miyagi city of Kesennuma and the city of Ofunato in neighboring Iwate Prefecture registered 4, the sixth-highest level.

Following the quake, East Japan Railway Co., or JR East, temporarily suspended services on the Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train line between Tokyo and Shin-Aomori stations.

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