Quake hits off Japan coast

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of Fukushima in Japan on Friday but there was no risk of a tsunami, officials said. The shallow quake hit at 04:59 pm (0759 GMT), 255 kilometres east of Ishinomaki, according to the United States Geological Survey. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake posed no tsunami risk. Later Friday another quake hit northeastern Japan, close to the disaster-hit Fukushima nuclear plant, but there was again no fear of a tsunami, Japanese and US authorities said.