Quake hits southwestern Japan

A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 has shaken southwestern Japan but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The quake, which struck at 1.36pm, was centred 20 miles beneath the ocean floor near the town of Tsurumi, in Oita prefecture on the southernmost main island of Kyushu, the Meteorological Agency said.

Oita prefectural police official Teruyuki Muraya says he has received no reports of damage or injuries.

There was no danger of tsunami, powerful waves caused by seismic activity, the agency said.

It is the second time in as many days that a strong tremor had rattled Japan. A 6.1-magnitude quake jolted the northern prefecture of Miyagi on Sunday, injuring a 66-year-old woman who fell down a flight of stairs.

A magnitude 5 quake can cause considerable damage when centred under populated areas.

Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries, sitting atop four tectonic plates, slabs of rock that move across the earth's surface.