The temblor occurred in an area where strong earthquakes have repeatedly been reported in recent months, including one that triggered a weeklong mega-quake caution advisory in December.
Eight people were injured in northern prefectures of Aomori and Iwate, mainly from falling or being hit by falling objects, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. Japanese media had no report of life-threatening injuries.
The quake also mildly shook Tokyo, where Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that her government's emergency team is "putting people's lives first," while assessing information and preparing for relief operations, if needed.
She urged residents in the affected regions to use caution against possible aftershocks.
Tomoko Nagane, a primary school principal in the town of Hashikami in Aomori prefecture, told NHK that she was driving when the quake alert went off and that she felt moderate, sideway shaking. Children already gathered at the school were safe, she said, though some were crying in fear.
Classes were canceled for the day and children have all returned home safely, Nagane said.
Footage on Japan's NHK public television showed several towns, including Sendai and Morioka, saying they felt the shaking for a couple of minutes but have not seen any damage. Videos showed people commuting as usual.
The East Japan Railway Co., which operates trains in northeastern regions, said some bullet trains and local lines were temporarily suspended for safety checks.
Nuclear power plants and facilities, including the Fukushima Daiichi plant which was damaged by the 2011 massive quake and tsunami, and a spent fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, have not reported any abnormalities from Thursday's earthquake, government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said.
Japan, which sits on what is known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, is one of the world's most earthquake-prone areas.