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Multiple people injured after powerful earthquake hits Japan

PM Takaichi says government has set up emergency task force after powerful quake hits northern Japan

A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake has struck off northern Japan, injuring more than 20 people and triggering a tsunami that reached up to 70 centimetres (28ins) in Pacific coastal communities.
The country had been bracing for larger tsunami waves, with warnings of up to three metres along the northeastern coastline following the late-night tremor.
Officials from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency confirmed 23 people sustained injuries, with one individual reported to be in a serious condition.
The seismic event occurred at approximately 11.15pm in the Pacific Ocean, roughly 50 miles off the coast of Aomori, the northernmost prefecture of Japan’s main Honshu island.
The Japanese government is currently assessing the full extent of the damage caused by both the earthquake and the subsequent tsunami.