Asia-Pacific

Strong quake shakes S. Japan

(AP)
Updated: 2006-06-12 08:52

A strong earthquake rattled southern Japan early Monday followed by a milder temblor in the north, but there was no danger of a tsunami from either, the nation's meteorological agency said.

At least five people were injured from the magnitude-6.2 quake in the south, but no one died, Kyodo News agency reported. No injuries or damage were reported from the second quake, Kyodo said.

The first quake occurred at around 5 a.m. 87 miles underground in Oita Prefecture (state) on the southern island of Kyushu. It struck wide areas of southern and western Japan, Kyodo said.

The second one, which registered magnitude-4.8, was three hours later off the coast of Aomori in northern Japan.

The meteorological agency said there was no danger of a tsunami from either quake.

Oita is about 500 miles southwest of Tokyo, and Aomori is 360 miles northeast of the capital.

Japan is one of the world's most quake-prone countries because it is located at the juncture of four tectonic plates, or moving slabs of the earth's outer crust.