A tsunami warning was issued across part of Japan’s east coast following a powerful earthquake.
The tremor struck at 4:53 PM local time (7:53 AM GMT) with a magnitude of 7.7.
The epicenter was located off the northeastern coast of Japan’s Sanriku.
Waves of between one and three meters were originally expected.
More than 156,000 people were reported to have evacuated across five prefectures.
No casualties or major damage have been reported so far, but about 100 homes are without power.
The tsunami warning was later downgraded to advisories.
Japan experiences about 1,500 earthquakes each year and is situated within the “Ring of Fire,” making it one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.
The International Atomic Energy Agency has confirmed no abnormalities at Japan’s nuclear facilities after the quake.
Authorities have set up an emergency taskforce in response to the situation. Government officials urged residents to take anti-disaster steps.
Evacuate immediately from coastal regions and riverside areas to safer places such as high ground or evacuation buildings, warned the Japan Meteorological Agency.
Details remain unconfirmed regarding potential aftershocks, though there is a one percent probability of a larger quake occurring after this event.