An earthquake measuring 8.1 on the richter scale rocked several remote islands off northern Japan at 04:30 pm IST on Wednesday.
Japan's Meteorological Agency has called off the tsunami alert that it had issued in the wake of the massive earthquake. The agency had earlier predicted waves of up to two metres to hit the Pacific coast of Japan's northernmost island of Hokkaido and main island of Honshu as early as 05:40 pm.
However, the first wave recorded at Nemuro port on Hokkaido, which hit at 05:59 pm IST, was estimated at only 40 centimetres. A second wave of half that height was recorded about 15 minutes later. At least three more small waves followed.
Live footage from northern Japan after the first waves hit showed calm seas and lighted windows. Residents said they barely felt the quake.
Kiyoshi Takimoto, an official from the town of Shibetsu on Hokkaido, told public broadcaster NHK that about 4,000 of the town's 6,100 residents lived along the coast and had been told to flee to higher ground. Takimoto said he did not notice the quake.
Meanwhile, the government had set up an emergency task force at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's office, officials said. There is no word yet on damage or casualties.
Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries as it sits atop four tectonic plates.
