Strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake rocks Japan; no major damage reported
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the tremor was recorded at shallow depth in Shimane prefecture at 10:18 am (0118 GMT).
The US Geological Survey recorded a slightly lower magnitude reading of 5.8 and then lowered it to 5.7.
The earthquake hit the western city of Yasugi, ranking in the top five on Japan’s Shindo earthquake scale.
At this level, heavy furniture may fall and drivers may have difficulty steering.
The same area was soon hit by smaller earthquakes of magnitude 4.5, 5.1, 3.8 and 5.4, and again no tsunami warning was issued, the JMA said.
No abnormalities were detected at the Shimane nuclear power plant as of 10:45 a.m., broadcaster NHK said, citing utility company Chugoku Electric. Operator JR West said parts of the Shinkansen bullet train network were suspended due to a power outage. It was unclear whether this was related to earthquakes.
The military said it conducted an aerial damage assessment and established a disaster response liaison office.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said, “The government is gathering information on the damage… People in areas affected by strong tremors, please continue to be careful about more earthquakes of the same magnitude.” he said.
unforgettable memory
Japan lies on four major tectonic plates along the western edge of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and is one of the most seismically active countries in the world.
Approximately 1,500 earthquakes occur every year in the archipelago, which is home to approximately 125 million people.
Although most of them are mild, the damage they cause varies depending on their location and depth.
Japan is haunted by the memory of the massive 9.0-magnitude undersea earthquake that triggered a tsunami in 2011 that killed nearly 18,500 people.
In 2024, the JMA issued its first specific advisory regarding a possible “megaquake” along the Nankai Trough.
This 800-kilometer submarine trench is where the Philippine Sea oceanic tectonic plate “subducts,” or slowly slides, beneath the continental plate on which Japan sits.
The earthquake and subsequent tsunami in the Nankai Trough could kill as many as 298,000 people and cause up to $2 trillion in damages, the government said.
The JMA lifted its 2024 advice a week later, but this led to panic buying of staples such as rice and holidaymakers canceling hotel bookings.
It issued a week-long second “mega earthquake” warning in December 2025, following a 7.5 magnitude tremor off the northern coast.
The December 8 earthquake triggered tsunami waves of up to 70 centimeters (28 inches) and injured more than 40 people, but no major damage was reported.
