Japanese authorities say a one-meter high tsunami has hit the country's northeast coast after a powerful earthquake shook the region.

The meteorological agency says the wave was recorded in Ishinomaki, in Miyagi prefecture that was devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

There were no immediate reports of damage after Friday's 7.3 magnitude quake.

National broadcaster NHK broke off normal programming to report on the quake and repeatedly urged coastal residents to flee to higher ground.

Last year's 9.0 earthquake killed or left missing around 20,000 people and caused meltdowns at the Fukushima Number One nuclear plant in the worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster in the Soviet Union.