Strong Earthquake Hits Northern Japan and Train Services Suspended

The Japan Meteorological Agency reported that a magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Aomori and Iwate prefectures in the north of the country in the early hours of Wednesday (local time, Tuesday in GMT), but it did not cause any tsunami waves. According to Japan's NHK broadcasting corporation, the earthquake occurred around 2:46 AM local time (5:46 PM Tuesday). There have been no reports of damage at a nuclear fuel processing plant in the area. The broadcasting agency reported that two individuals were taken to the hospital due to injuries, while some train services in the region were suspended for safety checks, according to Reuters. The earthquake registered as a level 5+ on the Japanese seismic intensity scale, a level that could cause damage to some buildings.