Magnitude 5.7 Quake Shakes Central Japan, Dozens Hurt

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake rattled central Japan early Sunday, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The agency's reading is preliminary and could be revised as data comes in.

The shaking hit a wide area around Aichi Prefecture, and smaller aftershocks kept rolling through afterward. Japanese media outlets reported dozens of injuries, though the full picture of the damage is still taking shape.

The quake struck early in the morning, a timing that may have kept more people off the streets and away from storefronts than a daytime jolt would have. Aichi sits in the heart of Japan's industrial belt, home to major manufacturing and dense urban centers.

Japan's building codes and seismic warning systems are among the most advanced anywhere, built over decades of living with constant tectonic activity. That infrastructure is the country's first line of defense when the ground starts moving.

Authorities have not yet released a fuller accounting of damage or casualties. With aftershocks continuing, officials will be watching for any escalation in the hours ahead.