Earlier the agency had predicted waves as high as 3.3-feet could hit the northeastern coast of Japan's main island of Hokkaido around 2 p.m.

The earthquake struck off Japan's northern coast in the Pacific on Saturday, setting off tsunami warnings and sending thousands of residents along the archipelago's eastern coast fleeing to higher ground.

A tsunami warning also was issued for Alaska's western Aleutian islands, and a tsunami watch was issued for Hawai'i.

The quake struck around 1:24 p.m. about 310 miles east of Etorofu, the largest of a disputed four-island chain known as the Northern Territories in Japan and the Kuril islands in Russia, the agency said.

The quake struck 19 miles below the seabed, the agency said.

The U.S. Geological Survey registered the earthquake with a magnitude of 8.2.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage from the quake, Hokkaido state police spokesman Shinji Yamakoshi said.

Meanwhile, residents of some Alaska coastal communities were warned to move to high ground after a tsunami warning for Alaska's western Aleutian islands. A less serious tsunami watch was issued for Hawai'i.

If waves reached Alaska, they could be expected to hit Dutch Harbor around 11:41 p.m. Alaska Standard Time, according to the West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center.

In Hawai'i, any waves could arrive about an hour later, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

Temblors of magnitude 7 are generally classified as major earthquakes, capable of widespread, heavy damage. Tsunami waves — generated by earthquakes — are often barely noticeable in the ocean but can rise to great heights once they arrive at shore.