A shallow 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido early on Monday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported.
The moderate quake hit at a depth of eight kilometers around 100 kilometers northeast of Shibetsu.
The USGS said there was a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
The quake comes after a powerful 6.6-magnitude quake in September rocked Hokkaido, causing landslides, destroying houses and killing more than 40 people.
Japan is situated at the junction of four tectonic plates and experiences a number of relatively violent quakes annually.
However, rigid building codes and strict enforcement mean even strong tremors often do little damage.