Magnitude 6.5 Quake Jolts Japan

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck off the coast of Japan earlier Thursday, but analysts said it is unlikely to have any effect on the country’s stock market.

The earthquake, centered near Hachijojima Island south of Tokyo, raised a tsunami warning but appears to have caused little damage. It followed another strong earthquake in Japan on Tuesday.

Japan’s Ministry of Energy, Trade and Industry says that there were no reports of damages to the country’s power plants.

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Second Japanese Earthquake in Days Injures 100

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck central Japan early Tuesday morning, injuring more than 100 people, setting off a tsunami warning and swaying buildings 90 miles away in Tokyo.

The quake struck at 5:07 a.m. Tuesday off the coast of Shizuoka prefecture, 90 miles southwest of Tokyo, and was centered about 14 miles underground, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The agency immediately issued a tsunami warning for parts of Japan’s Pacific coast. Small waves of around 16 inches reached Omaezaki and other coastal towns in Shizuoka before the warning was lifted about two hours later.

The quake was the second strong tremor to strike Japan in as many days.

Late Sunday, an earthquake measuring magnitude 6.9 struck further off the Pacific coast, jolting a swath of central and eastern Japan. But neither appeared related to a powerful quake that experts say is due for the Tokai region, centered on Shizuoka, which could also damage Tokyo.

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