Japan earthquake: magnitude 5.7 quake injures more than 20 in Shizuoka and Aichi

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck central Japan early on Sunday, injuring more than 20 people in Aichi and Shizuoka prefectures.

The quake hit at 1.04am local time (4.04pm GMT on Saturday). Its centre was in western Shizuoka Prefecture, about 40km underground, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Shop windows were shattered and glass covered some streets. Some people were hurt on stairs as they hurried out of buildings. Shaking was felt across a wide area, including Hamamatsu, Kyoto, Nara and Gifu, but not in Tokyo.

No tsunami warning was issued. Some local train services were suspended, and Tokaido Shinkansen bullet trains were delayed between Shizuoka and Gifu-Hashima while the tracks were checked.

A meteorological agency official, Ayataka Ebita, warned that strong aftershocks were possible over the next week, especially in the next two to three days, and asked residents to watch out for mudslides and falling rocks. He said no unusual change had been seen in the Nankai Trough, the fault zone off Japan's Pacific coast that experts watch for a possible major quake.