An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 struck eastern Japan near Tokyo at 7:46 p.m. on June 16. The quake's epicenter was located in Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of approximately 50 kilometers underground [1, 2, 3].
The quake registered a lower 5 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale (shindo) in Gunma and Saitama prefectures, while Ibaraki experienced an intensity of 4 [1, 2, 3]. Despite the strong shaking, no tsunami warning was issued following the earthquake [1, 2, 3].
In response to the quake, bullet train services on the Tohoku and Joetsu Shinkansen Lines were temporarily halted during the evening to inspect safety and assess any potential damage [1, 2].
Authorities continue monitoring the situation but have not reported any injuries or significant damage as of now. Train services on the affected Shinkansen lines are pending further safety checks before resuming operations [1, 2].
