The Met office said that waves as high as 50 centimetres were believed to have hit the coasts of the northwestern State of Nigata.

The quake was centered off the coast, 260 kilometres northwest of Tokyo.

The tremor also swayed buildings in Tokyo.

Several bullet train services linking Tokyo and northern and northwestern Japan have been suspended.

Three nuclear reactors in the region automatically stopped and there have been no irregularities reported with their operation.

Meanwhile, a powerful typhoon skirted the Japanese capital and moved northeast on Monday.

It left three people dead and caused widespread flooding.

The typhoon has since lost strength and downgraded to a tropical storm. - DDNEWS India