A major magnitude 7.6 earthquake has struck off the coast of Japan, leaving at least 13 people injured so far and prompting a warning for Britons from the Foreign Office.
Waves as high as three metres (10 feet) could hit Japan's northeastern coast after the tremor struck offshore on Monday.
Japan’s Government has confirmed that one of those injured is in a serious condition as chief cabinet secretary, Minoru Kihara, said "casualties and physical damage are being checked".
Following the quakes, a warning was issued to Britons in Japan and those planning travel there by the Foreign Office.
“Following a magnitude 7.6 earthquake off Aomori prefecture, the Japan Meteorological Agency has issued tsunami warnings of up to three metres for Aomori, Iwate and Hokkaido prefectures and a tsunami advisory for Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. Follow the advice of local authorities,” they advised.
Japan's prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, issued a similar warning, stating: "We ask that you pay close attention to information from the Japan Meteorological Agency and local governments," she said in a statement on social media.”
A tsunami warning that had been issued after the quakes had now been downgraded to a tsunami advisory. Japanese authorities had earlier warned that the Pacific coast of Hokkaido could expect a tsunami wave.
Further alerts were issued to Aomori and Iwate prefectures.
Waves as tall as 3m could strike Japan
|JAPAN METEOROLOGICAL AGENCY
Tsunami advisory warnings had been issued across other Pacific stretches of Hokkaido, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
The epicentre of the quake was 80km (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori prefecture, at a depth of 50km (30 miles), the JMA added.
People in affected areas are being advised to immediately evacuate to higher ground.
Social media users in Tokyo reported feeling shaking despite being approximately 580km from the epicentre.
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A JMA heat map of the shaking shows Aomori prefecture was hit hardest by the tremor
|JMA
A JMA heat map of the earthquake shows Aomori prefecture suffered the worst of the tremor.
The US's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) advises parts of Russia could also be affected by tsunamis.
Nuclear power plants in affected regions are understood to be conducting safety checks, the national broadcaster NHK reports.
A crisis management office has been set up at the Prime Minister’s Office in response to the earthquake.
Japan's location in the Pacific Ring of Fire - a region which records approximately 90 per cent of the world's earthquakes - means the nation is prepared for major tremors such as the one today.
It is estimated the country records up to 100,000 total seismic events per year but only feels up to 2,000 of them.
Usually, major earthquakes above a magnitude 7 are recorded in Japan just once a year.
In an update, the JMA said a tsunami of 40cm was observed at the ports of Mutsu Ogawara in the Aomori prefecture and Urakawa on the island of Hokkaido.
By the time the wave reaches Russia, the Philippines and Guam, the wave is predicted to be less than 30cm, according to the PTWC.
Although today's tremor generated a 3m tsunami warning, it falls well short of the 13m wave generated by the magnitude 9 Fukushima earthquake which devastated Japan in 2011.
The peak of that wave is reported to have reached 40 meters.
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