A 6.8-magnitude quake has struck off the north western coast of Japan, sparking fears of a tsunami.
The epicentre was located just off the western coast of Yamagata, around 30 miles south-west of the city of Sakata.
Residents living in the towns of Yamagata and Niigata felt the tremors, and many households temporarily lost power, but there were no injuries reported.
There are now fears that a tsunami may hit areas of the Japanese coast over the coming hours.