Tokyo, Jan. 1: The 7.5-magnitude quake struck the Noto region in Ishikawa prefecture on the Sea of Japan side of the main central island of Honshu at around 4:10 pm (0710 GMT), the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Japan's weather agency put the magnitude at 7.6 and said that it was one of more than 50 quakes of 3.2 magnitude or more to rock the region on the New Year's Day holiday -- when families get together and visit shrines -- over several hours.

Television channels interrupted normal services with special programming including of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urging people in danger areas to "evacuate as soon as possible" to higher ground.

"We realise your home, your belongings are all precious to you, but your lives are important above everything else! Run to the highest ground possible," an alarmed presenter on broadcaster NHK told viewers.

Waves at least 1.2 meters (four feet) high hit the Wajima port only around 10 minutes after the strongest quake, and a series of smaller tsunamis were reported elsewhere, as far away as the northernmost main island of Hokkaido.

The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a "large tsunami" warning, meaning waves of up to five metres, but no further major incidents were reported and the JMA later downgraded its warning to tsunamis of up to three metres.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, which had warned of possible tsunamis along 300 kilometres (190 miles) of coast, also said around four hours after the major quake that the tsunami danger had "largely passed".-Agencies