5.8-magnitude earthquake hits near Japan's Kashiwa; M3. 9 aftershock reported

A strong earthquake struck near Kashiwa city in Japan's Chiba Prefecture on Tuesday evening, prompting reports of shaking across parts of the country.According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the earthquake measured magnitude 5.8 and occurred around 7:46 pm local time.

The epicenter was located approximately 22 kilometres northwest of Kashiwa.An earlier preliminary assessment had placed the quake's magnitude at 6.0.

Aftershocks follow main tremorSeveral aftershocks were recorded in the minutes following the main earthquake. EMSC reported a magnitude 3.9 aftershock about 28 kilometres northwest of Kashiwa at around 7:55 pm local time.

Seismic monitoring agencies continued to track additional tremors as authorities assessed the situation.No immediate reports of casualties or significant damage is not available yet.Japan among world's most seismically active countriesJapan sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," making it one of the world's most earthquake-prone nations.The country experiences thousands of tremors each year and maintains one of the world's most advanced earthquake monitoring and disaster response systems.