A powerful 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck southwestern Japan on Wednesday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey and Japanese authorities.
The earthquake occurred at approximately 11:46 am local time at a depth of nearly 50 kilometres.
Officials said the tremor was centred near Okinawa Main Island and was felt across several parts of southern Japan, including Kagoshima Prefecture and Okinawa Prefecture.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency and public broadcaster NHK, the quake registered lower 5 on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, which ranges from zero to seven.
The strongest shaking was reported in Southern Amami within Kagoshima prefecture.
Residents in several towns experienced noticeable tremors, though authorities said there were no immediate reports of deaths, injuries, major structural damage or transportation disruptions.
Japanese authorities also confirmed that no tsunami warning had been issued following the earthquake.
Emergency management teams and disaster response officials continued monitoring the affected areas as a precautionary measure.
The office of Japan’s prime minister stated that authorities were assessing conditions and gathering information from the impacted regions.
Japan is among the world’s most earthquake prone countries due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an area known for intense seismic and volcanic activity.
The country maintains one of the world’s most advanced earthquake monitoring, early warning and disaster management systems.
The latest earthquake comes as scientists and emergency agencies continue monitoring seismic activity across the wider Asia Pacific region.
