Japan hit by tsunami waves after magnitude 7.2 earthquake

Waves of up to 1 meter have hit parts of Japan's coast following a 7.2 magnitude earthquake near the Miyagi prefecture.

Authorities issued a tsunami warning for Japan after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake off the coast of Miyagi prefecture.

The first tsunami waves of up to 1 meter (3.2 feet) hit land shortly after the earthquake, local television channel NHK reported.

The US Consulate in Sapporo told people in the area to "seek higher ground."

Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) said that the quake hit at 6:09 p.m. local time (09:09 GMT/UTC) at a depth of 60 kilometers (37 miles) in the Pacific water just off the coast of the Miyagi region.

Tremors were also felt in the capital, Tokyo.

A video shared by NHK showed how the earthquake was felt in Sendai city in Miyagi prefecture.

Pacific 'Ring of Fire'

Saturday's earthquake came not long after the country marked ten years since the deadly 9.0-magnitude quake on March 11, 2011, also affecting the Miyagi region.

The event a decade ago led to a catastrophic triple disaster as a disastrous tsunami was unleashed and the Fukushima nuclear plant went into meltdown.

Dozens were injured last month when another strong earthquake struck.

Japan is on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area along the edge of the Pacific ocean which is characterized by strong seismic activity.

Construction regulations in Japan mean that buildings must be built to withstand the frequent earthquakes.