A 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast off Japan, triggering a tsunami warning for swathes of the northeastern coast.
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The country's meteorological agency warned tsunami waves as tall as three metres were expected to hit parts of Japan's coast.
Initial waves proved to be considerably smaller than feared, although the country’s prime minister said a report of damage was being assessed.
Areas expected to be the worst-hit include the coastlines along central Pacific Hokkaido, and Aomori and Iwate prefectures.
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No abnormalities at Fukushima
NHK has reported that the operator of the Fukushima Daini nuclear power plant says there are no abnormalities there.
Around 26,000 of those who left their homes after the meltdown caused by the tsunami in 2011 have still not returned to the area.
Many resettled elsewhere, with some towns remaining off-limits and lingering concerns about radiation.
Bigger tsunami may hit after first wave
In their news conference, officials from the Japan Meteorological Agency have warned people to evacuate to higher ground and keep watch for landslides or similar earthquakes later this week.
The agency has also warned that a bigger tsunami may hit after the first wave.
Tsunami warnings in parts of Hokkaido and Iwate prefectures have also now been issued.
Map showing earthquake warnings
The below map, provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency, shows the epicentre of the quake with a red X.
The areas highlighted in red have tsunami warnings, while the areas in yellow are labelled Tsunami Advisory.
Japan Meteorological Agency news conference
The Japan Meteorological Agency has just started a news conference - we will bring you all the key lines.
First waves reach Japanese coast
Japan’s public broadcaster NHK has reported that a tsunami has been observed approximately 50km off the coast of Aomori, a prefecture in the northern part of Japan's main island.
The first tsunami waves are also reaching Iwate prefecture, with a wave as high as 40cm recorded in Miyako port.
Authorities checking for abnormalities at nuclear plants
Japanese authorities are checking the Onagawa nuclear power plant for any abnormalities following the earthquake.
Japanese news site Kyodo has reported that there are currently no abnormalities at the nuclear plants in the prefectures of Aomori and Miyagi.
The Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant was hit by a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami in March 2011, causing 160,000 people to flee their homes
Three metre tsunami could hit coast soon
Japan’s NHK public television said a tsunami of up to three metres (10ft) could hit parts of Japan shortly.
Warnings have been issued for Iwate prefecture, the central part of the Pacific coast for Hokkaido, and the Pacific coast of Aomori Prefecture.
Advisories have been issued for other parts of the Pacific coast of Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures, as well as the Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
Quake felt hundreds of miles away
It has been reported that the quake was felt hundreds of miles away from the epicentre in Tokyo.
Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has urged people in quake-affected areas to seek higher ground.
7.4 magnitude earthquake
The Japan Meteorological Agency have confirmed that an earthquake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.4 occurred off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan today.
It occurred at around 4.53pm local time (7.53am GMT) at a depth of about 10 kilometres below the sea surface.