Japan on Tuesday lifted a tsunami advisory for some remote islands after making the warning hours earlier following a strong earthquake.

Earlier, Japan issued a tsunami advisory for residents of the Izu and Ogasawara Islands after an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 struck in the Pacific Ocean near the uninhabited island of Torishima.

No major tremor was observed, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said after the quake struck along the island chain in the ocean around 600 kilometers (370 miles) south of Tokyo. 

There were no reports of any serious damage.

Four tectonic plates

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which oversees the regions, the Izu Islands and the even more remote Ogasawara Islands to the south have about a dozen inhabited islands and a combined population of about 24,000 as of last year.

Japan sits on four major tectonic plates. It experiences about 1,500 earthquakes a year, most of them minor.

However, thanks to advanced building techniques and well-practiced emergency procedures, the effects of even major quakes are usually contained.

dh/jsi (AP, AFP, Reuters)