Strong earthquake jolts northeastern Japan

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ISTANBUL (AA) - A strong earthquake jolted northeastern Japan on Tuesday, said the Japan Meteorological Agency.

According to the agency, the earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale hit off Aomori province in northeastern Japan.

The quake was reported at around 6:18 p.m. (0918GMT) in parts of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate provinces, according to the agency.

"The temblor originated off Aomori's eastern coast at a depth of around 20 kilometers (12.5 miles)," it added.

According to the US Geological Survey, a 6.2 magnitude quake hit the Hokkaido region of Japan.

There was no confirmation of any damage when the last reports came in.