A strong earthquake struck off northern Japan late Monday, sparking moments of fear across several prefectures as buildings shook, glass broke and residents rushed outside into the cold night.
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) later confirmed the magnitude at 7.5, slightly lowering it from the initial 7.6. The tremors lasted long enough for smartphone alarms to ring across Hokkaido and Tohoku.
Viral clips shared on social media showed the abrupt force of the quake. Footage from Hachinohe and Takizawa captured water splashing out of large fish tanks, windows breaking and streams of water pouring from upper floors. Aomori Asahi Broadcasting also released video from its Hachinohe office, where the newsroom shook violently during the tremor.
Authorities said at least 30 people were injured across Aomori, Hokkaido and nearby areas, mostly due to falling objects. One vehicle fell into a cracked section of road, and several buildings suffered external damage. A convenience store owner in Hachinohe told NHK he had “never felt shaking that strong” and was thankful that power remained stable in his area.
Tsunami waves, outages and evacuations
The earthquake generated tsunami waves of up to 70 centimetres in Iwate’s Kuji Port, while smaller waves reached parts of Aomori and Hokkaido. Early warnings suggested waves could rise to three metres, but advisories were lifted by early Tuesday.
More than 28,000 residents were asked to evacuate, with some shelters filling up quickly as temperatures hovered around freezing.
In Aomori, about 2,700 homes lost power during the night, though most regained electricity by morning. Sections of the Tohoku Shinkansen were suspended while engineers carried out safety checks, leaving around 200 passengers stranded at New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido.
The government confirmed that nuclear plants in the region, including Higashidori and Onagawa, reported no issues. However, around 450 litres of water spilled from a spent-fuel cooling system at the Rokkasho reprocessing facility. Officials said the incident did not pose any safety threat.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi activated an emergency response team and urged people to remain alert. She advised residents to be ready to evacuate “as soon as you feel a tremor.”
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Increased risk of a larger quake
The JMA also issued a warning about a higher likelihood of a major earthquake over the coming week. The advisory covers the Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Chiba, noting a slight increase in the chance of a magnitude-8 event. Residents in 182 municipalities were asked to monitor updates closely.
The alert is a reminder of Japan’s seismic vulnerability. The quake struck near the region heavily damaged in the 2011 magnitude 9.0 disaster that claimed nearly 18,500 lives.
“You should prepare with the awareness that a similar disaster could happen again,” said JMA official Satoshi Harada.
