6.9 Quake Rocks Japan

A strong earthquake shook northern Japan early Tuesday and Japan's Meteorological Agency issued tsunami warnings.

The magnitude 6.9 quake hit at 6:39 a.m. (2139 GMT) and was centered off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan, the agency said.

The agency said tsunamis as high as 50 centimeters (19.5 inches) could reach coastlines on Japan's Pacific Coast between 7:10 a.m.(2210GMT) and 7:30 a.m.(2230 GMT) in Iwate, Miyagi, Fukushima and Hokkaido.

There were no immediate reports of injuries, according to national broadcaster NHK.