A powerful earthquake has struck off southern Japan and a tsunami advisory has been issued, public broadcaster NHK reported.
The quake registered a preliminary magnitude of 7.1, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said.
It was centred off the eastern coast of Japan's southern main island of Kyushu at a depth of about 30 kilometres (18.6 miles).
The agency issued a tsunami advisory, predicting waves of up to one metre (3.3 feet) along the southern coast of Kyushu and nearby island of Shikoku.
In Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu, 20-centimetre high waves had already been observed, NHK said.
Operators of nuclear plants on Kyushu and Shikoku said they were checking to see if there was any damage to them.
Japan's NHK public television said there were reports of broken windows at the Miyazaki airport near the epicentre.
Japan’s JR Kyushu halted operation of its bullet trains following the quake, according to reports.
There were no immediate signs of major damage.
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.
An earthquake on January 1 in Japan's north-central region of Noto left more than 240 people dead.
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