M5.4 Chiba quake shakes Tokyo and nearby prefectures; no tsunami warning issued

What happened: A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture early Thursday, shaking Tokyo and surrounding prefectures. No tsunami alert was issued. Key numbers: Magnitude 5.4; occurred at 12:07 a.m. at a depth of 50 kilometers; lower five on the seven-point shindo scale; liaison office set up at 12:11 a.m.; no damage reports as of 12:20 a.m. Why it matters: The government established an information liaison office at the Prime Minister's Office to gather information and assess damage, while police continued to monitor the situation.

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake struck northeastern Chiba Prefecture early Thursday, shaking Tokyo and surrounding prefectures. No tsunami alert was issued.

The government established an information liaison office at the Prime Minister's Office to gather information and assess damage, while police continued to monitor the situation.