Western Japan jolted by 5.4 magnitude earthquake

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.4 shook western Japan on Saturday but there was no immediate reports of damage and a tsunami warning was not issued.

The epicentre of the earthquake, which occurred at 11:48 a.m. (0248 GMT), was in Wakayama prefecture, western Japan, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world’s most seismically active areas. Japan accounts for about 20 percent of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.