JAPAN, April 4: A seismic chain of events has rocked East Asia as a 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck Japan just a day after Taiwan was hit by a 7.4 magnitude quake, leading to heightened tsunami alerts in the region.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported that the 6.3 magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan, on Thursday. The quake, with a depth of 32 km (19.88 miles), rattled Tokyo but no immediate reports of damage or injuries were received. TEPCO, the operator of the Fukushima nuclear power plant, confirmed that no abnormalities were detected at the plant or in other facilities in the region.

Japan, known for its high seismic activity, implements strict building standards to ensure structural resilience against powerful earthquakes. With around 1,500 seismic events occurring annually, most of which are minor, Japan maintains vigilance against seismic threats.

According to the United States Geological Survey, Thursday's earthquake was measured at a magnitude of 6.1 with a depth of 40.1 kilometers. This seismic activity follows a devastating magnitude-7.4 earthquake that struck Taiwan, claiming nine lives and injuring over 1,000 individuals. The quake inflicted significant damage to numerous buildings in Taiwan and prompted tsunami warnings reaching Japan and the Philippines.

Japan's history is marked by seismic disasters, notably the 2011 magnitude-9.0 undersea earthquake off its northeast coast. The ensuing tsunami claimed around 18,500 lives and caused three reactors at the Fukushima nuclear plant to melt down, resulting in Japan's worst post-war disaster and the most severe nuclear incident since Chernobyl. The estimated cost of the catastrophe amounted to 16.9 trillion yen ($112 billion), excluding the ongoing hazardous decommissioning of the Fukushima facility, which is anticipated to span decades.