Strong Quake Jolts Northern Japan

TOKYO (AP)--A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 jolted northern Japan on Friday, but there were no reports of damage or injuries.

The quake, which struck at 7:13 p.m., was centered about 87 miles below the seabed just south of the Russian-held Etorofu Island, 1,000 miles northeast of Tokyo.

Local police said they had received no reports of damage or injuries hours after the quake.

Etorofu is one of the four islets claimed by both Japan and Russia. They are located off Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost main island.

The Meteorological Agency said there was no fear of tsunami _ huge undersea waves triggered by volcanic activity or earthquakes _ as a result of the temblor, which also shook Hokkaido and prefectures on the main island of Honshu.

A magnitude-6 quake can inflict widespread damage in a populated area.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone nations as it sits atop four tectonic plates, slabs of land that move across the earth's surface.