People throw leaves with messages written on them into the sea for the victims of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami disasters in Japan.
| Photo Credit: AFP

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.8 hit eastern Japan early on March 15 (Japan local time), the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The epicentre of the earthquake was off the coast of Fukushima prefecture, where strong tremors were recorded, the agency said, adding that a tsunami warning had not been issued.

There were no immediate reports of damage.