Powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake strikes near islands south of Japan

Jan. 4 (UPI) -- A strong earthquake struck off the coast of Japan on Tuesday, near Chichijima island.

The 6.1-magnitude quake had a seismic intensity of an upper 5 on its 1-7 scale.

The quake was registered in the Ogasawara archipelago, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency, located south of Japan in an area administered by the Tokyo metropolitan government.

The Ogasawara islands are about 620 miles south of Tokyo. There were no immediate reports of injuries or significant damage.

"There was a strong jolt while I was sleeping and I jumped out of bed, but the tremor soon stopped," said Mamoru Kizaki, an official of the Ogasawara village office, according to Japan Today.

Tuesday's was the first earthquake of such magnitude to hit the region since 2015, when a quake with an upper 5 intensity hit Hahajima island.

The earthquake occurred one day after a similar-sized temblor occurred off the coast of Taiwan.