Multiple earthquakes shake Japan: what to know

Several earthquakes struck southern Japan on Sunday, shaking a region already known for its ongoing seismic activity.

There were no reports of major injuries or structural damage, and authorities did not issue a tsunami warning, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) and official Japanese agencies.

A USGS map shows that a few miles north of Nemuro, Japan, eight additional earthquakes occurred in Russian territory.

Context

Japan lies atop several tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active regions in the world.

The southern archipelagos – especially the areas near the Tokara Islands – regularly record thousands of earthquakes a year, most of them minor, but sometimes strong enough to cause major disruption.

An increase in earthquake frequency or strength increases the risk of larger, more destructive events and can trigger temporary warnings from Japanese authorities.

Recent increases in seismic activity have prompted scientists and officials to warn of the possibility of a large, albeit low-level, “mega-earthquake” affecting the region during the year, highlighting the continuing importance of disaster preparedness for millions living nearby.

What do you know?

The earthquakes recorded Sunday occurred over several hours and hundreds of miles. Two earthquakes measuring 4.1 and 4.4 struck near the Izu Islands within a six-hour period.

To the north, about 78 miles east of O'Hara, a stronger 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck around 2 a.m. local time. A 5.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Hashinoi late Saturday, and another 4.3-magnitude earthquake occurred on Sunday.

Eight other earthquakes struck north off Shikotan, Russia, ranging in magnitude from 4.7 to 5.2.

Despite the number of earthquakes, there have been no reports of major casualties, damage or tsunami generation so far. Historical trends in the region indicate that earthquakes of less than magnitude 5 are unlikely to cause widespread destruction, especially in rural areas of the islands.

The Tokara Islands and the southern Japanese archipelago have seen continuous activity for several months. From June to July this year, more than 2,000 earthquakes were recorded in the region.

The Japanese government had previously issued an unusual warning following a 7.6-magnitude earthquake on the northern coast earlier this month, raising public alert for the possibility of a “mega-earthquake,” which is defined as any event with a magnitude exceeding 8.0.

What people say

“The Japan archipelago is a very seismically active area. Magnitude 4 earthquakes are common there. The M4.9 earthquakes on September 17 occurred near the Ryukyu and Nankai trenches, an area where much larger earthquakes can occur, such as the rare magnitude 8 quake in 1910,” Alan Young, the U.S.-Japan coordinator for earthquake studies at the USGS, told Newsweek on September 17. 1920, 1944, and 1946.

The International Federation of the Red Cross said on its website in July: “Seismic activity has been very active across the region since the end of June, and a 5.5-magnitude earthquake (lower Japanese intensity scale 6) struck near the Tokara Islands in Kagoshima Prefecture at 4:13 p.m. on 3 July 2025. So far there have been no reports of casualties. About 700 people live on the 2 Tokara Islands Ten, and some residents were severely damaged.” “Voluntarily evacuate to the mainland.”

“The government issued the warning because there is a ‘more likely than usual’ chance of a magnitude 8 strike next week,” Fumiaki Tomita, a professor at Tohoku University, told The New York Times on December 11.

What happens next

Authorities in Japan and international monitoring agencies will continue to closely monitor seismic activity in the area.

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