A magnitude-6.8 earthquake hit western Japan on Sunday evening, pushing small tsunami waves onto Pacific coastlines and briefly halting bullet train services, though damage was limited and no fatalities were reported.
Japan's meteorological agency put the epicenter off the Kii Peninsula, roughly 450 kilometers west of Tokyo, with the tremor occurring at 7:07 p.m. local time. Tidal gauges at Wakayama, a coastal city south of Osaka, registered waves of about 20 centimeters. The agency issued a warning for the broader Pacific coastline from southwestern to central Japan, noting waves could reach up to 50 centimeters in some areas.
Two Kyoto residents sustained minor injuries: an 89-year-old woman fell and hurt the back of her head, and a 94-year-old man was struck by a toppled clock, injuring his hand. No casualties were reported from other prefectures in the peninsula region.
The trade and industry ministry said nuclear power facilities along the coast were undamaged. Central Japan Railway suspended shinkansen services briefly after the tremor and later resumed operations at reduced speed following track inspections.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.