By Takehiko Kambayashi –
TOKYO — Little damage was reported across Japan Wednesday after a pair of earthquakes — both registering above magnitude 6 — struck separately in the northern and eastern parts of the country.
The stronger quake struck first, at 6:09 p.m. The magnitude-6.8 earthquake shook northern Japan with an epicenter off Aomori prefecture at a depth of 6 miles. A tsunami warning was briefly issued.
The agency lifted the warning at 7:40 p.m. after 4-inch tsunami waves were observed on the coast of Mutsu in Aomori prefecture and some parts of the Pacific coast of the northern island of Hokkaido.
The agency warned of tsunami waves of up to 20 inches, which were expected to reach the coasts of Hokkaido and Iwate and Aomori prefectures at 6:40 p.m.
Residents in some coastal areas of Aomori were briefly advised to evacuate, but the advisory was soon lifted.
No injuries or damage were reported.
A magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck eastern Japan later Wednesday, shaking buildings in the Tokyo metropolitan area, the Meteorological Agency said.
The quake occurred at 9:05 p.m. with an epicenter off the coast of Chiba prefecture at a depth of 6 miles, the agency said, adding that no tsunami warning was issued.
No immediate injuries or damage was reported in the earthquake, however, some train services have been suspended.
