7.3 magnitude quake strikes off Japan's east coast: USGS

TOKYO: A 7.3 magnitude quake struck off Japan's east coast Saturday but no destructive widespread tsunami was expected, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) at 3:10 am local time (1710 GMT Friday), 320 km southeast of Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture, according to the US Geological Survey.

The USGS intially said its magnitude was 7.5. (AFP)