At least 20 people were injured after a magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early Sunday, disrupting railway services and prompting safety inspections in affected areas.
According to Kyodo News, citing local authorities, injuries were reported in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures following the tremor.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake originated in western Shizuoka prefecture at a depth of approximately 40 kilometres.
No tsunami warning was issued following the quake.
The tremor was reportedly the strongest to affect Aichi prefecture in around three decades, raising concerns about infrastructure safety and the possibility of further seismic activity.
Authorities temporarily suspended some local train services as a precaution while officials assessed the situation.
Chubu Electric Power Co., which operates the Hamaoka nuclear power plant in Shizuoka, confirmed that inspections had detected no abnormalities at the facility.
Separately, a magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck Kumamoto prefecture in southwestern Japan on Sunday morning. No immediate information about casualties or significant damage from that tremor was provided.
Kumamoto had previously experienced a powerful magnitude 7.1 earthquake on July 28.
Japan is among the world’s most earthquake-prone countries because of its location along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several major tectonic plates interact.
The country regularly experiences seismic activity, making earthquake monitoring, emergency preparedness and infrastructure safety essential components of its disaster management system.