Moderate earthquake in Japan

The quake, centered near Amami Oshima Island about 20 kilometres under the ocean floor, shook nearby small islands.

A moderate earthquake of preliminary magnitude 5.7 shook southern Japan on Friday morning, but there was no danger of a tsunami, the Meteorological Agency said.

The quake, centered near Amami Oshima Island about 20 kilometres under the ocean floor, shook nearby small islands. Amami is roughly 1,600 kilometres southwest of Tokyo, the agency said in a statement.

There was no danger of tsunami from the 7:58 am (0428 IST) quake, the agency said.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Japan sits atop four tectonic plates and is one of the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.