What happened
A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Iwate Prefecture in northeastern Japan at 4:53 p.m. local time on Sunday. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, roughly 100 kilometres offshore.
The Japan Meteorological Agency immediately issued a three-metre tsunami warning for Iwate, with lower warnings for Hokkaido and Aomori.
Why it matters
Japan sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and has experienced devastating earthquake-tsunami combinations, most recently the magnitude 7.6 Noto Peninsula earthquake in January 2024 that killed over 200 people. The region affected on Sunday includes areas hit by the catastrophic 2011 Tohoku disaster.
Tsunami observations
Waves reached 80 centimetres at Kuji Port in Iwate Prefecture, 40 centimetres at Miyako Port, 30 centimetres at Hachinohe in Aomori and 20 centimetres at Erimo in Hokkaido. The JMA warned that higher waves could still arrive.
Evacuation response
Japan’s disaster management agency issued evacuation orders to 171,957 people across five prefectures. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi urged residents to move to higher ground immediately.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference as night fell that there were no immediate reports of casualties or major structural damage, though assessments were still under way.
What happens next
The JMA warned the region should expect strong aftershocks over the next two to three days. Residents along affected coastlines were told to remain away from the shore until warnings are fully lifted. The US Tsunami Warning Centre issued an information statement but said no threat existed for Hawaii or the US West Coast.