A tsunami advisory has been issued for the Miyagi prefecture in Japan's earthquake-ravaged northeast coastal region, following a quake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.5, the Japan Meteorological Agency said Monday morning.

The agency, which issued the advisory at 7:27 a.m. local time, said a tsunami of about half a metre in height could wash into the Miyagi district.

"Tsunamis are expected to arrive imminently" in Miyagi prefecture, the agency said, adding the quake occurred at 7:24 a.m.

No further details were immediately available.

The tsunami warning was localized to Japan. The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said no wave was expected in Hawaii or on the U.S. west coast.

The U.S. Geological Survey said in a release that the 6.5-magnitude quake occurred at a depth of 5.9 kilometres near the east coast of Honshu, Japan's largest island.

The same northeast region in Japan suffered a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, which set off a nuclear crisis at the Fukushima nuclear plant about 270 kilometres north of Tokyo.

On Friday, the National Police Agency said 10,035 people had been confirmed dead and 17,443 remain missing.