Japan on alert after a magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes off its southwest coast

A 30cm tsunami was registered on Nakanoshima, an island to the south of Kyushu

Japan Meteorological Agency earthquake expert Koji Nakamura speaks during a press conference at the meteorological Agency in Tokyo (AFP)

An earthquake of magnitude of 7.0 has struck off Japan's southwest coast at 5:51am local time.

The quake was about 90 miles off the western shores of Makurazaki and had a depth of 6 miles, Japan's Meterological Agency said.

Shortly afterwards, a 30cm tsunami was registered on Nakanoshima, an island to the south of Kyushu.

Following the warning, a spokesperson for Kyushu Electric said there was "no abnormality" in their plants.

“There was no abnormality at the No. 1 and the No. 2 reactors following the quake,” said Naoyuki Igawa told the Japan Times.

The Meteorological Agency cancelled their tsunami advisory, just 90 minutes after issuing it. There have been no reports of damage or injuries, although some resident's reporting feeling a "strong jolt" when the quake struck.

The news comes as the country is still recovering from the earthquake which hit in 2011 where 18,000 pepople lost their lives. 230,000 people are still yet to return to their home towns since the disaster four years ago.