A moderate earthquake struck Japan early Thursday near a nuclear plant damaged by a powerful tsunami earlier this year.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the magnitude 5.9 undersea quake struck shortly before 4:30 a.m. local time, 244 kilometers northeast of the capital, Tokyo.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not immediately issue a tsunami alert.

The area is close to the Fukushima nuclear power plant that was crippled by the massive quake and ensuing tsunami that struck in March.

The region lies in the so-called “Ring of Fire,” an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones that stretches around the Pacific Rim. About 90 percent of the world's quakes occur in the region.