A 6.7 magnitude earthquake has struck off northeastern Japan a short time ago.

The undersea earthquake occurred at 7:13 AM AEST on Wednesday 13 May 2015 near the east coast of the island of Honshu, Japan at a depth of almost 50 kilometers.

The quake hit 33km south east of the nearest city of Ofunato.

Tremors were reported in the nation's capital of Tokyo but no casualties or damage have yet been reported.

The quake is not expected to cause tsunami like waves and no official warnings have been issued by authorities.

Japan's islands are situated at the conjuncture of several tectonic plates and experience a number of relatively violent quakes every year.
(Sky News Australia)