M5.4 quake jolts eastern and northeastern Japan

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 jolted eastern and northeastern Japan on Tuesday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. No tsunami alert has been issued and there have been no reports of damage following the quake, although part of the Joban Expressway was briefly closed for safety checks. The focus of the quake was about 10 kilometers underground in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, (Kyodo) news agency reported. The quake measured lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Takahagi, Ibaraki Prefecture. The jolt was also felt in northeastern Japan, including Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, as well as the Tokyo metropolitan area.