A strong earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan during rush hour on Thursday morning, however the country’s meteorological agency said there was no danger of a tsunami and no serious injuries were reported.
The temblor shook dozens of towns across northeastern Japan and was even mildly felt within the capital, Tokyo. It hit in an area where strong earthquakes have repeatedly been reported in recent months, including one which triggered a weeklong mega-quake caution advisory in December.
Within the town of Hashikami, a college principal recounted how her automobile shook sideways when the quake struck as she was driving to work. Children already gathered at the varsity were secure, she said, though some were crying in fear.
The quake — off the eastern coast of the Iwate prefecture — had a magnitude of seven.2, upgraded from an initial reading of 6.9, the Japan Meteorological Agency said. Its depth was about 50 kilometers (30 miles), the agency said. The U.S. Geological Survey also reported the quake, giving its magnitude as 6.9.
Eight people were injured in northern prefectures of Aomori and Iwate, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said. Japanese media had no report of life-threatening injuries and the injuries that were reported were mainly from falling or being hit by falling objects.
The wall of a constructing is seen partly damaged following an earthquake in Hachinohe, Aomori prefecture northern Japan, Thursday, June 25, 2026.
(Kyodo News via AP)
In Tokyo, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that her government’s emergency team is “putting people’s lives first,” while assessing information and preparing for relief operations, if needed. She urged residents within the affected regions to make use of caution against possible aftershocks.
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Tomoko Nagane, the first school principal in Hashikami, in Aomori prefecture, told NHK that classes were canceled for the day and that every one children returned home safely.
Footage on Japan’s NHK public television showed several towns, including Sendai and Morioka, the broadcaster’s reporters saying they felt the shaking for a few minutes but haven’t seen any damage. Videos showed people commuting as usual.
The East Japan Railway Co., which operates trains in northeastern regions, said some bullet trains and native lines were temporarily suspended for safety checks.
Nuclear power plants and facilities, including the Fukushima Daiichi plant which was damaged by the 2011 massive quake and tsunami, and a spent fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, haven’t reported any abnormalities from Thursday’s earthquake, government spokesperson Minoru Kihara said.
Japan, which sits on what’s often called the Pacific Ring of Fire, is one in all the world’s most earthquake-prone areas.
© 2026 The Canadian Press