TOKYO, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- Two buildings at separate locations in the southwestern Japanese city of Tokushima were damaged by apparent explosions, but no one was injured, the Kyodo News Agency reported Tuesday.

    One of the buildings is a cultural hall of the major lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, while the other is an international exchange center which houses a local Japan-China friendship association, it said.

    Local police received reports Tuesday morning saying the entrance areas of the two buildings had been damaged.

    There was nothing unusual when a staff member of the cultural hall left the facility late Sunday night, and nearby residents said they heard a loud noise early Monday morning, police said.

    The second blast at the entrance of the international exchange center occurred at around 9:00 a.m. Tuesday (2400 GMT Monday), local media reported.

    "We are very surprised because it is the first time that something like this happened," a local official was quoted as saying.