According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), a strong earthquake was just reported near the east coast of Honshu, Japan at 14:50 UTC. The quake was 5.6 magnitude. The Japan Meteorological Agency originally reported the quake with a 6.8 magnitude.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) has issued a statement saying that no destructive widespread tsunami threat exists "based on historical earthquake and tsunami data," although local tsunamis may be generated.

Japan is an a tectonic hotspot as it sits near the convergence of four major tectonic plates: Pacific plate; North America plate; Eurasia plate; and Philippine Sea plate. Japans is exposed to numerous earthquakes from multiple sources. 

Since 1900, three great earthquakes occurred off Japan and three north of Hokkaido. They are the 8.4 magnitude 1933 Sanriku-oki earthquake, the 8.3 magnitude 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake, the famous 9.0 magnitude 2011 Tohoku earthquake, the 8.4 magnitude 1958 Etorofu earthquake, the 8.5 magnitude 1963 Kuril earthquake, and the 8.3 magnitude 1994 Shikotan earthquake.