A powerful 7.6-magnitude undersea earthquake struck off northern Japan on Monday, shaking communities on both sides of the Tsugaru Strait and triggering a tsunami along parts of the Pacific coast. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said the quake occurred just east of Aomori Prefecture, at the northern tip of Japan’s main island of Honshu, and just south of Hokkaido, a region known for frequent offshore seismic activity.
JMA reported that the tremor generated a tsunami of up to 40 centimeters, with waves of about 40 centimeters recorded at the Hokkaido town of Urakawa and at the port of Mutsu Ogawara in Aomori Prefecture. While those heights are far below the multi-meter surges seen in past disasters, officials warned that even relatively modest tsunami waves can create dangerous currents in harbors, river mouths and low-lying coastal areas, and urged residents to stay away from the shoreline until advisories were lifted.
Seismologists noted that a magnitude 7.6 event ranks as a major earthquake capable of causing serious damage near the epicenter, particularly if it is shallow and close to populated areas. In this case, residents in parts of Aomori and Hokkaido reported strong but relatively brief shaking, and tremors were felt farther south across other regions of Japan. Authorities said they would continue to monitor sea levels and seismic activity for further tsunami waves and aftershocks in the hours and days ahead.
Injuries, Local Damage And Evacuations
Public broadcaster NHK reported that several people were injured at a hotel in the coastal city of Hachinohe in Aomori Prefecture when parts of the interior were damaged during the quake. Ceiling materials and glass are believed to have fallen as the building shook, and some guests were treated for cuts and other minor injuries. As of the first official updates, there were no immediate reports of large-scale destruction, though detailed inspections of buildings and infrastructure were still under way.
Once the tsunami had been confirmed, municipalities along exposed sections of the coast issued evacuation advisories for residents in vulnerable areas. Local governments activated community loudspeakers, emergency text alerts and television warning banners to instruct people to move quickly to higher ground or to designated evacuation centers away from the water. Some train services and stretches of major roads were temporarily halted or slowed while operators carried out routine post-quake safety checks on tracks, bridges and tunnels.
Officials emphasized that Japan’s disaster-preparedness strategy is built around rapid evacuation whenever a tsunami warning or advisory is issued, regardless of the forecast wave height. Coastal communities in Aomori and Hokkaido regularly conduct tsunami drills, and many residents are familiar with clearly marked escape routes and elevated shelters. Those measures, tightened after earlier major earthquakes and tsunamis, are regarded as central to limiting casualties when the full scale of a tsunami is still uncertain in the first minutes after a large offshore quake.
Central Government Response And Nuclear Checks
In Tokyo, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that the central government had set up an emergency task force to gather information from the affected region and coordinate support for local authorities. She said the administration was putting the protection of lives first and working to establish a clear picture of injuries and damage, while urging residents in coastal areas to keep following instructions from the Japan Meteorological Agency and their municipal governments.
NHK reported that nuclear power plants in northern Japan initiated precautionary safety checks shortly after the quake. Operators inspected key systems, including cooling equipment and backup power supplies, and looked for any irregularities at facilities facing the Pacific. These procedures reflect stricter rules introduced after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, which caused severe damage at the Fukushima Daiichi plant and led to a nationwide overhaul of nuclear safety standards and emergency protocols.
Energy utilities also reported localized power outages in parts of northern Japan, though many households had electricity restored within a relatively short time. Infrastructure agencies said inspectors were surveying seawalls, port installations and other key coastal facilities that may have been affected by the tsunami surge or by ground movement from the quake itself. Local officials indicated that once the immediate emergency phase had passed, they would review the performance of early-warning systems and evacuation plans during the event.
