TOKYO, April 18 (Reuters) – An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5 struck mountainous Nagano prefecture in central Japan on Saturday, NHK said.
The quake hit Omachi in northern Nagano around 1:20 p.m. (0420 GMT), NHK said, adding the Japan Meteorological Agency would hold a press conference in about two hours.
The earthquake registered a seismic intensity of upper-5 on Japan’s 1-7 scale, strong enough to make movement difficult without support.
It was not immediately clear whether there was any damage.
Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active areas. Japan accounts for about one-fifth of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.
(Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by William Mallard)
