U.N. to probe treatment of minorities in Japan GENEVA - A United Nations investigator will next week investigate alleged racism and discrimination against minority groups in Japan including ethnic Koreans and Chinese, according to a U.N. statement issued on Friday. Strong quake jolts Japanese island of Hokkaido TOKYO - A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7 hit the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Monday, injuring at least one person, but officials lifted a tsunami warning issued after the quake hit at 1415 GMT. There were no reports of major damage.