Moderate Earthquake Shakes Western Japan
Date: 08-Sep-04
Country: JAPAN
The earthquake, measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale, struck off the Pacific coast southeast of the Kii peninsula in western Japan, the Meteorological Agency said.
Its focus was around 10 km (6 miles) below the seabed.
There were no immediate reports of injuries and public broadcaster NHK said there was no risk of tsunami waves.
The earthquake measured four on Japan's seven-grade seismic intensity scale in parts of Wakayama and Mie prefectures in western Japan as well as in Shizuoka in central Japan. It was also felt in eastern Japan, including Tokyo.
An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the open-ended Richter scale occurred off the coast of Kii peninsula just before midnight on Sunday, less than five hours after a 6.9 quake hit the same region.
Japan is one of the world's most seismically active areas, and memories are still vivid of the earthquake in the western city of Kobe which killed more than 6,400 people in 1995.
That quake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale.