Powerful quake strikes Japan

The quake struck in the early hours, shutting down bullet train services in the affected region of Japan and provoking a landslide with the nation already braced for more damage from Typhoon Etau.

At least 43 people were injured, mostly by falling objects, with two in a serious condition, said a Shizuoka prefecture official. A nuclear power plant went into automatic shutdown but no incidents were registered.

In an address on Japanese public broadcaster NHK, Shizuoka governor Heita Kawakatsu urged the public to "remain level-headed and gather correct information we provide through TV programmes."

The Japanese tremor registered a strong 6.4, according to the US Geological Survey.
A tsunami alert issued for India, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh was later cancelled by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center of the US National Weather Service.

"Sea level readings indicate that a significant tsunami was not generated," it said.
The Japanese quake struck at 5:07 am (0137 IST) in the Pacific Ocean about 170 kilometres southwest of Tokyo at a depth of 26.8 kilometres.

It shook buildings and jolted people from their sleep in Tokyo and areas southwest of the capital.