Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Saturday extended condolences to those affected by the M7.2 earthquake which jolted northeastern Japan earlier in the day.

Yang, who was in Tokyo to attend the second meeting of foreign ministers from China, Japan and South Korea, mourned the victims and extended sympathy to the Japanese government and local people.

He also repeated China's gratefulness to the Japanese and the South Korean governments for their support and timely assistance to China in the aftermath of the Sichuan earthquake on May 12.

The M7.2 earthquake strongly jolted Japan's Miyagi and Iwate prefectures at 8:43 AM local time and sent shockwaves across the northeastern part of the Honshu Island, killing at least four people, injuring more than 150, and leaving at least 10 missing.

(Xinhua News Agency June 15, 2008)