Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed his condolences to the victims of a magnitude 6.5 earthquake. The quake struck the southwestern island of Kyushu on Thursday night, killing at least nine people and injuring hundreds.

Abe said the government would do its utmost to to support the victims and ensure emergency provisions. A disaster response team has been set up at the prime minister's office and response efforts are being coordinated from there.  And thousands of soldiers had been deployed to help with the rescue and clean-up effort.

By Friday, more than 100 aftershocks had been recorded and over 44,000 people have been evacuated. The iconic Kumamoto castle, designated an Important Cultural Asset, was also badly damaged.