Two quakes shake Japan including Tokyo

TOKYO - Two earthquakes measuring 5.4 and 5.1 on the Richter scale shook Japan Thursday although there were no reports of casualties, officials said.
The earthquake that registered 5.4, which was felt in Tokyo, occurred 30 kilometers (18 miles) deep under Pacific waters off Chinba prefecture east of the capital at 10:18 am (0118 GMT), the Meteorological Agency said.
The first quake occurred at 1:33 am (1633 GMT Wednesday) and was focused in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the main northernmost island of Hokkaido. It was 60 kilometers deep, the agency said.
No tsunami warning was issued for the separate quakes, the agency said.
There were no police reports of injuries or damage.
Japan, which lies at the junction of four tectonic plates, sees about 20 percent of the world's powerful earthquakes, frequently jolting Tokyo and other major cities where buildings are made to resist tremors.

05/19/2005 01:39 GMT