TOKYO- Japan's meteorological agency says it has lifted a tsunami warning for the northeastern coast 90 minutes after a 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck offshore.

Related readings: Another strong quake strikes off tsunami-hit Japan

The quake hit about 11:30 pm Thursday Japan time. It has rattled nerves nearly a month after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that flattened the northeastern coast.

Announcers on Japan's public broadcaster NHK had told residents in the northeast to move to higher ground away from the shore.

The warning was for the same area devastated by last month's tsunami, which is believed to have killed some 25,000 people and has sparked an ongoing crisis at a nuclear power plant.

Officials at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant say there was no immediate sign the aftershock caused new problems.