Japan earthquake: 7.1 quake hits Kyushu as buildings collapse and fires break out

What we know about the Japan earthquake

A tsunami warning was also issued for parts of the coast, though it was lifted less than an hour later as emergency teams began assessing the damage.

The 7.1-magnitude quake hit at a depth of around 10km beneath the sea off Kumamoto province, where roughly 13 million people live.

It was registered the highest possible level seven on Japan's Shindo intensity scale, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Kumamoto International Airport closed its runway indefinitely and all train services on Kyushu were suspended including shinkansen bullet trains.

It is one of the most powerful quakes to hit Japan in years, and comes after a tsunami warning was triggered by a major earthquake elsewhere earlier this year.

As Sky News reported, scores of people were taken to hospital.

"We have already been informed that people have been injured. Power outages and fires have occurred in some areas, and there has also been damage to roads and bridges and the collapse of buildings."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

Aftershocks continued to hit the area through the morning as damage reports flooded in, with broadcaster NHK showing footage of buildings on fire or reduced to rubble.

Officials are continuing to assess casualties and structural damage across the seven prefectures placed under earthquake warnings.