Israel’s Foreign Ministry is working to account for any citizens who may have been affected by the earthquake that hit Japan last night.

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has also asked Israel’s ambassador to Tokyo to offer aid to Japan in the wake of the disaster.

Emergency relief organisation ZAKA said they had dispatched a team to Japan to help with search and rescue efforts.

The earthquake, which measured 8.9 on the Richter scale, was one of the worst to hit Japan in history.

Severe tsunami waves triggered by the quake have also hit Hawaii and other points on the US Pacific coast.

Following last month’s earthquake in Christchurch, Israel sent emergency supplies including water purification equipment and temporary shelters to New Zealand.