A strong earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale hit off the south island of Okinawa, Japan, on Tuesday, Japan's meteorological agency said.

The quake struck at 4:42 p.m. (0742 GMT) with the epicenter located in the waters off Okinawa's main island, at a depth of 50 kilometers, the agency said.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries from the quake.

(Xinhua News Agency July 8, 2008)