Earthquake of 6.3 magnitude jolts Southwest Japan

The US Geological Survey says a magnitude 6.3 earthquake hit near Miyazaki in southwestern Japan. The agency says the earthquake struck at 8:48 a.m. local time Friday and had an epicenter 39 kilometers (24 miles) southeast of Miyazaki, a city of about 400,000. The earthquake had a depth of 23 kilometers (14 miles.)

The Japan Times reports that Kyushu Electric Power Co. says no abnormalities were reported at the nearby Sendai nuclear power plant in Kagoshima Prefecture. The Times also reports that nation's weather agency did not issue a tsunami warning. 

(With inputs from agencies.)