TOKYO - A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck off the Nemuro Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido on Thursday, Japan's weather agency said.

The temblor occurred at 8:08 am local time (2308 GMT Wednesday) at a shallow depth off the southeastern coast of the Nemuro Peninsula, measuring 4 on the Japanese seismic intensity scale of 7 in Kushiro town, Hokkaido prefecture, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The quake may cause changes in the tide levels of less than 20 centimeters on the eastern Pacific coast of Hokkaido, but there is no need to worry about damage, it added.