JAPAN QUAKE PROMPTS FEW CLAIMS

A strong earthquake that struck just off the Japanese island of Honshu this week is unlikely to prompt significant insurance claims, according to catastrophe modelling firm AIR. The magnitude 6.8 quake, which led to power outages in Tsukuba City and shook buildings in Tokyo, was one of a series of tremors and aftershocks. According to Mehrdad Mahdyiar, director of earthquake hazard at AIR Worldwide, since 1900, there have been four earthquakes of more than magnitude seven and more than 80 exceeding magnitude six within 100 km of this latest event. Apart from a minor radioactive water leak at a nuclear power plant north of Tokyo and some cracks in older, weak buildings in Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures on Honshu Island the earthquake caused very little damage, AIR said. Last July a similar strength earthquake caused the closure of the world's largest nuclear power facility, owned by Tokyo Electric Power Company.