Powerful 5.9-magnitude earthquake strikes southwestern Japan without triggering tsunami alert

A POWERFUL earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck southwestern Japan on Wednesday, shaking parts of the Amami island region in Kagoshima Prefecture and nearby Okinawa areas, according to Japanese authorities.

The quake occurred at 11.46am local time, with its epicentre located off the coast of Okinawa Prefecture at a depth of approximately 50 kilometres, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Tremors were felt most strongly in Yoron, located at the southern tip of Kagoshima Prefecture, where the earthquake registered an upper 5 on Japan’s seven-level seismic intensity scale.

Despite the strong shaking, no tsunami warning was issued following the quake, easing fears of wider coastal danger across the island regions.

Local authorities and police said that, as of 12.20pm, there had been no reports of fatalities or significant structural damage in Yoron or surrounding affected areas.

Japan remains one of the world’s most earthquake-prone nations due to its position along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates converge, frequently triggering seismic activity across the archipelago. - May 20, 2026