A tsunami warning has been issued following an earthquake with a magnitude of around 7.1 in southern Japan, reports the country's media.
The earthquake occurred off the southeastern coast of the island of Kyushu just before 5 pm local time.
Only small waves of up to half a meter have been reported so far, but the country's authorities are still urging residents to stay away from coastal areas.
In 2011, Japan was shaken by a massive earthquake and tsunami that killed 18,500 people.
Over a hundred years ago, in September 1923, large parts of Tokyo were destroyed in an earthquake that claimed a total of 140,000 human lives.
Corrected: Earlier versions contained an incorrect year at the end of the text.
