Northern Japan jolted by strong quake, no damage

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake shook northern Japan on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Japan's Meteorological Agency said the quake struck at 12:30 p.m. (0330 GMT) on the southern part of Hokkaido, Japan's northernmost island. The quake struck offshore, 12.4 miles (20 kilometers) below the sea surface. It resulted in some shifting tide levels along shorelines, but the agency said there is little risk of damage.