Japan Meteorological Agency says an expert panel investigated possible links between a strong tremor on Monday and a mega-quake that is expected to strike the Nankai Trough in seas off central through southwestern Japan. It later concluded that special precautionary measures are not needed.

A Nankai Trough quake is predicted to occur along the plate boundary between Suruga Bay off Shizuoka Prefecture and the Hyuganada Sea off Miyazaki Prefecture.

The Japanese government's Earthquake Research Committee estimates there is a 70 to 80 percent chance that a magnitude 8 to 9 quake will hit within the next three decades.

The latest government estimate says that in the worst-case scenario, a Nankai Trough quake could claim more than 230,000 lives, and destroy about 2 million buildings.

Later Monday night, Japan Meteorological Agency said experts had finished assessing the possibility of a Nankai Trough massive earthquake, and concluded that special precautionary measures are not needed.

An agency official, Tsukada Shinya, said the latest earthquake was not a phenomenon that could be considered to have increased the possibility of a Nankai Trough earthquake occurring compared to normal times.

Tsukada said the magnitude they analyzed was not bigger than the one for which they would issue a special advisory to take precautions.

But the official said it is important to be aware that earthquakes could occur at any time and people should be prepared for earthquakes on a daily basis.