Strong earthquake rocks southern Japan

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 jolted southern Japan on Monday.

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.5 jolted southern Japan on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported.

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There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

No tsunami warning was issued after the quake.

The focus was 50 kilometres below the seabed off the eastern coast of Kyushu, Japan's southernmost main island.

Public broadcaster NHK said the quake was felt for about 15 seconds.

The quake was not felt in Tokyo, about 800 kilometres to the north.

In October 2004, an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck the Niigata region in northern Japan, killing 40 people and injuring more than 3,000.

That was the deadliest quake since a magnitude 7.3 tremor hit the city of Kobe in 1995, killing more than 6,400.