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Japan has recorded a series of powerful aftershocks in the past several hours, including a magnitude 5.7 earthquake near the east coast of Honshu and a 4.9 earthquake in the Hokkaido region shortly after.
Two smaller quakes, of magnitudes 3.2 and 3, were also detected near the southern coast of Honshu.
On Tuesday, Japan’s weather agency issued its highest-level warning that a megaquake could follow Monday’s powerful tremor.
The warning covers approximately 800 miles (1,300 kilometres), stretching from Japan’s northeastern coast from Chiba, just east of Tokyo, to Hokkaido.
Monday night’s earthquake injured at least 51 people, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. It also triggered widespread tsunami warnings, with waves of up to 70cm reported in several coastal communities.
The quake struck at around 11.15pm in the Pacific Ocean, roughly 50 miles off the coast of Aomori.
Tuesday’s notice was the first time this top-tier alert has been issued since the warning system was launched in 2022.
Multiple tremors including one of magnitude 5.7 strike Japan
Japan has recorded a series of powerful aftershocks in the past several hours, including a magnitude 5.7 earthquake near the east coast of Honshu and a 4.9 earthquake in the Hokkaido region shortly after.
Two smaller quakes, of magnitudes 3.2 and 3, were also detected near the southern coast of Honshu.
These come after the magnitude-7.5 earthquake that struck the country on Monday night, after which a megaquake advisory was also issued.
Maroosha Muzaffar11 December 2025 03:34
Schools in northern and northeastern Japan reopened on Wednesday
Most schools in northeastern and northern Japan reopened on Wednesday after closures caused by Monday night’s magnitude-7.5 earthquake off Aomori Prefecture, though a rare megaquake alert remains in effect for coastal regions from Hokkaido to Chiba.
Over 300 schools across five prefectures – Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima – were closed on Tuesday, with some remaining shut due to quake damage.
Students have been asked to be ready for immediate evacuation for about a week.
At reopened schools, including a public elementary in Hachinohe, Aomori, no injuries were reported, and children quickly returned to normal routines, Mainichi reported.
A worker clears debris at a shopping centre damaged by the earthquake in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, on 9 December 2025 (JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images)
Teachers conducted drills and reviewed evacuation procedures, while students shared experiences of fear and family preparedness following the quake, the outlet reported.
The Japan Meteorological Agency had issued tsunami warnings for parts of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate, with Kuji Port recording a 70-centimetre wave.
Shaheena Uddin11 December 2025 03:30
Is it safe to travel to Japan? Megaquake warning sparked by 7.5-magnitude tremor
Here is the latest travel advice and what you need to know following the massive earthquake in northern Japan.
Shaheena Uddin11 December 2025 02:30
Recap: Latest quake had a magnitude of 5.7 off Honshu island
On Wednesday, the latest quake took place in a series of earthquakes which have occurred in Japan recently.
The most recent earthquake had a magnitude of 5.7 and struck off the east coast of Honshu, Japan, the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.
The quake was at a depth of 31 km, EMSC said. It was earlier reported as having a magnitude at 6.5 and depth at 57 km but this was downgraded.
There were no immediate reports of damage after the quake.
Shaheena Uddin11 December 2025 01:30
Map shows where latest earthquake struck
The latest earthquake has struck off the north east coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu.
The epicentre, the red circle in the GEOFON map below, is also south of the smaller island of Hokkaido.
(GEOFON)
Shaheena Uddin11 December 2025 00:30
Why did Japan issue an advisory for possible megaquake?
On Tuesday, Japan issued a megaquake advisory after a magnitude 7.5 struck off the eastern coast of Aomori, north of the main island of Honshu.
The areas covered by the advisory extend across 182 municipalities from Hokkaido to Chiba prefecture.
Japan’s Meterological Agency said that Monday’s quake increased potential risks in the regions of Hokkaido and Sanriku coast due to the Pacific plate which has been home to many earthquakes in the past.
They warned another offshore megaquake in the Hokkaido-Sanriku area could cause up to a 30-meter (98-foot) tsunami in the region, kill as many as 199,000 people, destroy up to 220,000 houses and buildings, and cause estimated economic damages of up to 31 trillion yen ($198 billion), according to an estimate by the government. It says as many as 42,000 people could suffer from hypothermia in the winter.
Shaheena Uddin10 December 2025 23:40
Watch: Moment powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit Japan on MondayMoment 7.5-magnitude earthquake hits Japan
Shaheena Uddin10 December 2025 22:40
What happend during the 2011 earthquake?
Japan saw a deadly earthquake and tsunami in 2011 which was caused by movement associated with the Japan Trench. It spans from off the eastern coast of Chiba to Aomori, and the Chishima Trench goes from the eastern coast of Hokkaido to the northern islands and the Kurils.
The 2011 quake caused a tsunami that battered northern coastal towns in Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures. The tsunami, which topped 15 meters (50 feet) in some areas, slammed into and destroyed the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. That created deep fears of radiation that linger to this day.
The magnitude 9.0 earthquake and tsunami claimed the lives of 15,894, and the subsequent damage to the reactors at TEPCO’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant causing the nuclear disaster forced 99,750 people to live as evacuees away from contaminated areas.
A general view of damage to No. 3 reactor building at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)
Shaheena Uddin10 December 2025 21:40
Japanese government warns megaquake could kill 300,000 and halve GDP
The Japan Meteorological Agency said there was an increased possibility of an earthquake of magnitude 8 or stronger along the Japan Trench and the Chishima Trench, marking its first activation of a top-tier alert since the system was introduced in 2022.
The Independent’s Asia Climate correspondent Stuti Mishra reports:
Shaheena Uddin10 December 2025 20:40
Japan’s earthquake and ‘megaquake’ advisory: What we know so far
The Japanese Fire and Disaster Management Agency has revised the casualty count from Monday night’s 7.5-magnitude earthquake, confirming that 51 people were injured across Hokkaido, Aomori and Iwate provinces. Seven of those were rated as suffering severe injuries.
In the aftermath of that powerful tremor, Japan’s weather agency issued its first-ever top-tier warning for a “megaquake”, or an earthquake of magnitude 8 or greater. The megaquake advisory covers 182 municipalities across seven prefectures along the Pacific coast, from Hokkaido down to Chiba.
Officials have said that there has been no significant damage to major infrastructure and that nuclear power plant facilities were also unscathed after Monday’s earthquake.
Municipalities ramped up their preparedness in the wake of the megaquake advisory, which is in effect until 16 December.
Local governments updated residents, checked emergency stocks, and tested communication systems. Citizens were urged to keep grab-and-go emergency megaquake kits ready.
An employee uses adhesive tape to reinforce bottles and glasses to prevent them from falling at a pub (JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images)
Officials also issued public safety recommendations and urged families to sleep in the same room as elderly or vulnerable members and wear day clothes at night to allow faster evacuation in case of any emergency.
Most schools across northern Japan resumed classes today. Students shared stories of fear during the quake, but said daily life was slowly returning to normal. Drills and evacuation reviews took place in many classrooms, according to local reports.
Some examples of damage have been reported after Monday’s quake, including to the historic Chojasan Shinra Shrine in Aomori’s Hachinohe city.
A pub owner in Hachinohe was seen taping bottles to the wall after the quake smashed untethered glass items.
In the wake of Monday’s 7.5-magnitude earthquake, social media saw a wave of fake videos and conspiracy theories about the quake’s cause. Officials urged the public to rely only on verified government sources.
Even though the megaquake advisory remains in place and citizens have been urged to stay vigilant, there is currently no need for citizens to evacuate.
Maroosha Muzaffar10 December 2025 19:40
AloJapan.com