A magnitude 6.4 earthquake rattled southwestern Japan on Wednesday night local time, according to reports from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the US Geological Survey agency (USGS).

The earthquake, which struck the southern part of Japan, did not prompt any immediate tsunami warnings, and there have been no reports of damage or casualties thus far.

Earthquakes are not uncommon in Japan, given its position as one of the most seismically active regions globally. Approximately one-fifth of the world's earthquakes measuring magnitude 6 or higher occur in Japan.

The epicenter of the quake was reported to be in the Bungo Channel, situated between the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Shikoku.

State broadcaster NHK confirmed that there were no abnormalities detected at the Ikata nuclear plant located in the Ehime region following the earthquake.

As Japan remains vigilant against seismic activity, residents and authorities continue to monitor the situation closely for any potential aftershocks or developments.