M5.1 quake jolts eastern Japan; no tsunami risk

TOKYO -- A magnitude 5.1 earthquake jolted eastern Japan on Dec. 30, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The 9:35 a.m. quake, which struck at a depth of 60 kilometers, measured a 4 on the 7-point Japanese seismic intensity scale in parts of Ibaraki Prefecture northeast of Tokyo as well as in some municipalities in the neighboring prefectures of Chiba and Tochigi, the agency said.

There was no risk of a tsunami or any immediate reports of damage from the quake.

The quake measured a 3 on the Japanese scale in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, as well as in parts of Gunma Prefecture northwest of Tokyo, and several other municipalities in Chiba, Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures.

(Mainichi)