An earthquake of 5.9 magnitude struck Japan's northwestern Chiba Prefecture, which lies east of the capital Tokyo, on Thursday evening, CNN reports.
Japan Meteorological Agency first registered the magnitude as 6.1, with an initial depth of 80 kilometers (50 miles). The earthquake has since been updated to a 5.9 magnitude with a depth of 62 kilometers (38.5 miles).
The country's newly installed Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who took office on Monday said he instructed officials to "do the utmost to help victims and prevent further damage." A task force was set up at his office to "collect information," Kishida added.
The earthquake was felt strongly in Tokyo.
