Strong Earthquake Hits Japan as Fire Reported at Troubled Nuclear Plant

TOKYO -- A strong offshore earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit at 8:08am local time Tuesday off the coast of Chiba prefecture, just east of Tokyo, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

There was no chance of a tsunami, agency officials added, according to AFP.

Meanwhile at the troubled Fukushima nuclear power plant where workers are battling to contain a nuclear crisis, a fire broke out Tuesday morning at reactor No. 4, Reuters reported. It was not clear whether the blaze was linked to the latest quake.

The complex suffered a series of explosions after a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami struck off the coast of northeast Japan on March 11.