An earthquake has hit Japan, just north of Tokyo in Ibaraki region on the east coast of the main island, Honshu.

The country's meterological agency, which monitors quakes, recorded the tremor as being of 5.6 magnitude.

It hit at 9.33pm local time or about 1.33pm UK time with the epicentre about 40km below the surface.

"This earthquake poses no tsunami risk," the agency said.

The Japan Times tweeted that there were "no abnormalities reported at nuclear power facilities" as a result of the quake.