Live: Reports of multiple deaths after earthquake strikes Japan

Japan’s disaster management agency says about 300,000 people have been instructed to go to evacuation centres as aftershocks continue to rumble in the country.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says a task force has been set up to gather information, assess possible damage and prepare for rescue operations.

“I ask everyone to take action to protect themselves, including evacuating to a safe location,” she said.

“We are putting people’s lives as the top priority.”

She said 3,600 soliders would be deployed to help rescue and recovery efforts.

Takaichi said there had been reports of damage to roads, bridges and buildings, although many details are still unclear.

Between 20 and 30 workers trapped at the Aeon Mall can’t be reached, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

Police have told local media that multiple people were presumed dead after the second storey collapsed on the building in Kumamoto.

A rescue operation is now underway.

An explosion was reported at the shopping centre shortly after the earthquake.

Aftershocks and earthquakes have been continuously shaking in the region since the initial 7.1 magnitude quake struck this evening.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) has so far recorded 75 additional quakes in the Kumamoto Prefecture.

The biggest was a magnitude-6.1 earthquake which hit half an hour afterwards, several others have registered as magnitude four or more.

A local reporter has described the area as “constantly shaking”.

The JMA is warning people to remain vigilant, saying “in areas that experienced strong shaking, please be aware of the possibility of earthquakes of up to magnitude-7 for about a week after the initial earthquake.”

“In particular, strong earthquakes often occur within two to three days of an initial earthquake.”                 

This is what we know so far:

• At 4:35pm local time (5:35pm AEST) an initial 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck Kyushu, an island in country’s southwest.
• Then 26 additional aftershocks ranging from 3.3 and 4.5 were felt.
• At about 5:12pm (6:12pm AEST) a 6.1 magnitude tremor was recorded.
• A tsunami warning for a wave measuring 1 metre was also issued after the earthquake, but the warning was lifted around two hours later.
• Seismology authorities reported the initial quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometres below the sea’s surface.
• According to local authorities, the quakes hit just south of the town of Uki, near the prefecture’s capital city.

Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said “power outages and fires are happening in some areas, and roads and bridges have been damaged and buildings collapsed”.

Japan’s state broadcaster reported that 48,000 lost power and numerous fires broke out in wake of the tremors.

There are emerging reports of deaths and injuries at the Aeon Mall in Kumamoto in Japan’s southwest where part of the building has collapsed.

Multiple people were trapped inside an Aeon shopping centre, according to local fire services after an explosion occurred after the earthquake.

Police have told Japanese broadcaster TBS “quite a few” were presumed dead in the incident.

A spokesperson for the shopping centre said customers and employees were evacuated after the initial quake and that the exact cause of the explosion was unclear.

Earlier, Japanese police said they had received reports of what sounded like an explosion.

Welcome to our live coverage of the earthquake in Japan.

Japan’s south-western Kyushu island has been struck by two strong earthquakes within an hour of each other.

There are local media reports multiple people have died at a Japanese shopping centre after the second storey collapsed following the earthquake.

Stay with us as we bring you all the latest information on the unfolding situation.