<div style="text-align: justify; "><b><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><b><span style="font-size: 1rem;">A strong earthquake hit near central Japan on Friday, but officials said there was no preliminary damage and no tsunami threat.</span><br></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 6.2 quake happened in Ishikawa prefecture near the central west coast of the main Japanese island of Honshu, according to the U.S. Geological Survey's earthquake information center.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Japan's Kyodo News agency reported that there was nothing concerning at a nearby nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Japanese officials said there could be small waves but no tsunami danger.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone nations. A massive 2011 quake in the country's northeast caused a devastating tsunami and nuclear plant meltdown that still reverberates today. AP/UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">bnbd24/kh</div>