M5.9 quake hits eastern Japan including Tokyo, dozens injured

TOKYO - An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 hit eastern Japan early Sunday, leaving over 40 people injured in Tokyo and neighboring prefectures, authorities said, prompting a warning by the weather agency about similar quakes in the coming days.

The 2:00 a.m. quake, which originated in the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 68 kilometers, did not trigger a tsunami, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. It had issued an emergency earthquake alert.