LOC15:22
12:22 GMT
TOKYO, May 30 (KUNA) -- A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 8.5 on the Richter scale struck eastern Japan on Saturday, including Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.
But there were no immediate reports of casualties and damage. No tsunami warning was issued for the 8:24 p.m. (1124 GMT) quake, it confirmed.
The government set up a response team at its crisis management center of the prime minister's office to gather information about the situation. The strong quake was also felt in Tokyo.
Operators of nuclear power plants in the affected areas said there were no signs of abnormalities at the facilities from the quake. Shinkansen bullet train service in the region is currently suspended due to power outages.
The focus of the tremor was 590 km underground near the Ogasawara Island off Tokyo, according to the agency. The country was severely damaged by the magnitude 9.0-quake and ensuing tsunami in March 2011 that left nearly 19,000 people dead or missing and damaged the Fukushima nuclear complex. (end)
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