Lai offers Taiwan's assistance after powerful quake hits Japan

Taipei, Dec. 9 (CNA) President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) on Tuesday said his administration was ready to provide any necessary assistance to Japan after a powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the coast of Aomori Prefecture late Monday.

"In the face of disasters, Taiwan and Japan have always supported each other. We stand ready to provide any necessary assistance and pray for the safety of the Japanese people and their swift return to normal life," Lai wrote in a social media post.

"I would like to express my sincere concern and condolences to all those affected," he added.

The magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred late Monday night, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Following the earthquake, the agency issued tsunami warnings for the Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate prefectures.

As of 11 a.m. Tuesday, 35 people were injured during the temblor, and 114,000 were ordered to evacuate, according to the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency.

The evacuation orders and tsunami warnings have since been lifted.

The quake also caused some train services to be suspended and left thousands of homes without power, according to local authorities in Japan.