Magnitude 6.9 Earthquake Strikes Northern Honshu's Aomori Prefecture; "No Tsunami Concerns"

[Financial News, Tokyo = Correspondent Seo Hye-jin] A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck Aomori Prefecture in northern Honshu, Japan, at around 7:30 a.m. on the 25th.
The epicenter was offshore of Iwate Prefecture, and the quake was estimated to have occurred at a depth of 50 km.
The earthquake produced strong shaking, with a seismic intensity of upper 6 observed in areas including Sampachimikita in Aomori Prefecture.
Unlike magnitude, which indicates the absolute strength of an earthquake, the Japan Meteorological Agency's seismic intensity scale is a relative measure that shows how strongly people in the affected area felt the quake and how much nearby objects shook.
An upper 6 intensity means people may not be able to stand and could be knocked over, while most unsecured furniture may move or topple.
NHK reported that the strong shaking caused items to fall in homes and offices.
Building shaking was also observed in Tokyo, more than 700 km from Aomori Prefecture.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said there may be slight sea level fluctuations along the coast, but there is no concern about tsunami damage.
Train service on both directions of the JR Tohoku Shinkansen between Sendai and Shin-Aomori has been suspended due to the earthquake.
According to the Japan Nuclear Regulation Authority, no abnormalities have been confirmed at the Higashidori Nuclear Power Plant, the currently operating Onagawa Nuclear Power Plant, or Japan Nuclear Fuel Limited's reprocessing plant.
Meanwhile, the Japanese government has set up an earthquake response office at the Crisis Management Center at the Prime Minister's Office, and relevant ministries are expected to cooperate in the response.
Recent earthquakes have continued in northern Honshu, including Aomori and Iwate prefectures, as well as southern Hokkaido, where a magnitude 7.4 quake occurred in April.

sjmary@fnnews.com Seo Hye-jin Reporter