Alarms lit in Japan: 7.5 earthquake turns on tsunami alerts

A 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Japan’s eastern coast, prompting tsunami alerts and evacuations.

The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time, with its epicenter located about 100 kilometers from the port of Kuji in the Sanriku coast, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

What actions have the authorities taken?

The JMA issued tsunami alerts for coastal areas from Hokkaido to the Fukushima prefecture, with waves potentially reaching three meters high.

The port of Kuji recorded the largest tsunami waves, with a height of 80 centimeters, and no casualties have been reported so far.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated that her cabinet is confirming the extent of human and material damage.

Meanwhile, Japanese authorities have requested that people in the affected areas evacuate to safe locations.

The forecast suggests that similar-scale earthquakes may occur in the same area in the coming days, as has happened in the past, according to Shinji Kiyomoto, director of the JMA’s Earthquake and Tsunami Observation Division.

The Japanese government formed an emergency team to work together to provide necessary support, according to the prime minister’s office.

Nuclear operators did not detect any anomalies or unusual levels of radioactivity around nuclear power plants, according to NHK television.

TEPCO indicated that no impact has been confirmed on its nuclear power plants or infrastructure, but ordered the evacuation of workers at Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini.

Due to power outages and the activation of the prevention system, train services, including the bullet train, were suspended in several parts of the country, such as the Tokyo-Shizuoka route.

In early December 2025, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Aomori prefecture left over 30 injured and caused waves of up to 710 centimeters, but no major damage was reported.

Japan is located on the so-called Ring of Fire, one of the most seismically active zones in the world, and experiences earthquakes relatively frequently, so its infrastructure is specially designed to withstand the tremors.