Tokyo, Jun 24 (IANS): Japan's capital Tokyo and its surrounding regions were hit by a 5.5-magnitude earthquake on Monday, although no tsunami alert was issued and no significant damage has been reported so far.

The earthquake, which was registered at 9.11 a.m., had its epicenter on the coast of Chiba - a prefecture located west of Tokyo - at a depth of about 60 km, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

In Chiba, Tokyo and Kanagawa (south of the capital), the earthquake was felt strongly, reports Efe news.

This tremor took place less than a week after a 6.7-magnitude earthquake hit the northeast of Japan on June 18, which triggered a tsunami alert throughout a wide coastal area and left around 20 people injured.

Japan sits on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismically active areas. As such, it suffers earthquakes with relative frequency and its infrastructure is specially designed to withstand strong tremors.