An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter scale struck Sunday in Niigata prefecture, on the northwest coast of Japan. Travel Agent spoke with a representative from the Japan National Tourist Office in New York who reported that the earthquake has caused no flights to be cancelled and Japan Rail is reporting no changes to the bullet train schedules. The spokesperson added that from a tourist standpoint everything is running normally, although there has been some disruption in service to local trains in the area. The quake killed at least five people and injured more than 400. In addition to destroying dozens of buildings, the earthquake caused a fire at the region's nuclear power station. The quake also shook buildings in Tokyo, more than 160 miles away.
