People in New Zealand do not need to worry about radiation poisoning should a quake-damaged nuclear power plant in Japan suffer catastrophic meltdowns, an expert says.

New Zealand's Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) team in Japan are settled in the northern part of the country and about to start work helping to find survivors of Friday's magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami.

Live TV coverage from Japanese broadcaster NHK.

Yoshimi Okazaki lost her home and job in the Christchurch quake. Now her loved ones are missing in the devastating Japanese quake and tsunami.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says the thoughts of his quake-stricken city are with Japan following Friday's magnitude 9.0 earthquake which devastated much of the country and left thousands dead.

Japanese officials have confirmed a second hydrogen explosion has occurred at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, while a warning of a second tsunami has been cancelled.

NZ Football are expecting the All Whites' international soccer friendly against Japan in Tokyo on March 29 to go ahead.