Magnitude 6.1 earthquake hits off coast of Tokyo

The earthquake hit at 7.39 pm (1039 GMT) in the sea off Japan's Kanto region, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said on its website.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Tokyo on Friday, Japanese authorities said. No tsunami warning was issued following the tremor.

The shallow quake hit at 7:39 pm (1039 GMT) in the sea off the coast of the country's Kanto region. (REUTERS)

The earthquake hit at 7.39 pm (1039 GMT) in the sea off Japan's Kanto region, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said on its website.

According to the United States Geological Survey, the epicentre was around 169 kilometres (105 miles) south-east of Asahi, a city located east of Tokyo.

The JMA recorded the quake at "seismic intensity 3" on Japan's 0-7 scale. At this level, "almost everyone indoors feels the shaking" and "dishes on shelves may rattle".

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

In separate news, Japan recorded a 7.1 magnitude earthquake in July in the southwestern region. As per Japan's Meteorological Agency, the tremor was centered around Kumamoto prefecture on the island of Kyushu, approximately 900 km (560 miles) from central Tokyo, and hit at an extremely shallow depth of 10 km.

The quake, which was followed by two aftershocks, halted transportation, mobile communications and flights in the region.

Based on local reports, the Kumamoto airport runway was closed, with no time set for reopening; power outages were reported at some 7-Eleven stores in Kumamoto, while NTT Docomo reported disruptions to mobile services.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara added that no irregularities were reported at nuclear power facilities.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also acknowledged injuries and stated that officials were evaluating reports of widespread damage, including collapsed buildings, fires, and infrastructure problems due to the strong earthquake.