5.5 magnitude earthquake rattles Tokyo region but no danger of a tsunami, meteorological agency says

In this Wednesday, May 14, 2014, photo, buildings along the Sumida River are seen through a Japanese national flag fluttering on a sightseeing boat in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

TOKYO — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 shook eastern Japan, including Tokyo, on Tuesday, but there was no danger of a tsunami, the meteorological agency said.

The quake struck at 7:46 p.m. (1046 GMT) in the southern Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, at a depth of about 50 kilometres, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

There have been no reports of damage or injuries from the temblor so far, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said.

Shinkansen bullet trains serving northeastern regions were temporarily suspended for safety checks, according to the East Japan Railway Co. Parts of the Joetsu and Hokuriku Shinkansen lines have lost power because of the earthquake, according to Japanese media reports.

Japan is on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most earthquake-prone areas.