Japan was hit by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Kyushu early on Saturday, and tsunami warnings were issued for the region. 

A tsunami of 1 feet was recorded at the Nakanoshima island, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. 

However, tsunami warnings have since been lifted, The Japan Times reported. 

The earthquake struck about 160 km southwest of Makurazaki, Kagoshima, at 5:51 am local time on Saturday at a depth of about 10 km, the Japanese agency said. 

Tsunami fears gripped Japan, which was evident through social media posts. 

In 2011, a tsunami triggered by a powerful earthquake had killed thousands and led to a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima plant.