Japan earthquake and tsunami

The tremor occurred off the coast of Sanriku, prompting immediate alerts for waves of up to 10 feet in Iwate and Aomori prefectures.

Bullet trains and motorways were halted across the region as residents fled to higher ground.

While the initial tsunami threat was later revised to an advisory, the Japan Meteorological Agency remains on high alert.

This latest seismic activity has unsettled a nation still recovering from previous major disasters and has raised fresh concerns about the stability of the region's fault lines.