Warnings for tsunami waves up to two meters high were issued for parts of Hokkaido, the northernmost main island where the quake struck, and the Pacific coast of the main island of Honshu. Some waves of that size were reported shortly before midnight, and residents of low-lying areas near the coast were urged to flee to high ground.
One fire was reported in the town of Nemuro on Hokkaido, and a total of about 140 people were injured, according to Kyodo News Service.
It was the strongest earthquake to hit Japan since another quake of 7.9 preliminary magnitude hit Hokkaido in 1968, killing 68 people.
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