TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan vowed Friday that the government will make full efforts to deal with the impact of a powerful earthquake of a magnitude of 8.4 that rocked northeastern Japan.

"Our government will make all-out efforts to minimize the damage caused by the earthquake," Kan said at a news conference after the government set up a task force to deal with the quake, noting that the quake has caused extensive damage.

He urged the public to act calmly and keep themselves abreast of the latest information related to the earthquake, and said so far there is no problem with nuclear power plants.