TOKYO - A magnitude 6.9 earthquake struck the Kyushu region in southwestern Japan, the weather agency said Monday.

The strong temblor occurred in Miyazaki prefecture, which had an intensity of lower 5 on the Japanese scale of 0 to 7 in the hardest-hit areas, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

The JMA has issued a tsunami advisory for Miyazaki and Kochi prefectures.