Strong Earthquake Strikes Nagano in Central Japan

   Tokyo, April 18 (Jiji Press)--A strong earthquake jolted Nagano Prefecture in central Japan on Friday night, registering up to lower 5, the fifth-highest level on the 10-notch Japanese seismic intensity scale.
   The quake, with an estimated magnitude of 5.0, occurred at around 8:19 p.m. at a depth of about 10 kilometers in northern Nagano, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
   It measured lower 5 in the Nagano city of Omachi and the villages of Ogawa and Chikuhoku.
   In response to the quake, the government set up a liaison office under the crisis management center at the prime minister's office.

(2025/04/18-21:15)