Japan Issues Tsunami Warning After 7.6 Magnitude Earthquake off Northeastern Coast

Japan’s nuclear authority stated that power stations in Totsu, Fukushima, and Onagawa had so far not reported any abnormalities following the quake.

A man clears the debris from a powerful earthquake at a commercial facility in Hachinohe, Aomori prefecture, northern Japan on Dec. 9, 2025. Ren Onuma/Kyodo News via AP

Tsunami warnings were issued in Japan on Dec. 8 after a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake shook the country’s northeast region.

A tsunami as high as 3 meters (10 feet) could hit the northeastern coast after the quake, which occurred offshore at around 11:15 p.m. local time, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA).

Warnings and instructions to evacuate were given for the Japanese prefectures of Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate, while a tsunami of 40 centimeters (just less than 16 inches) had been observed at Aomori’s Mutsu Ogawara and Hokkaido’s Urakawa ports before midnight, according to the JMA.

The quake’s epicenter was located 50 miles off the coast of Aomori prefecture, at a depth of 30 miles, the agency noted.

On Japan’s 1–7 scale of seismic intensity, it registered a “6+” in Aomori prefecture, meaning that it was strong enough to make it impossible to stand or move without crawling.

During such quakes, most heavy furniture can collapse, and wall tiles and windowpanes are damaged in many buildings.

“There is a risk of damage from a tsunami. People living in coastal areas or along rivers should immediately evacuate to high ground, evacuation buildings, or other safe places. Tsunamis will strike repeatedly. Do not leave a safe place until the warning is lifted,” JMA said in a statement.

“In areas that experienced strong shaking, there is an increased risk of house collapses and landslides, so please pay close attention to future seismic activity and rainfall conditions, and take measures to ensure your own safety, such as not entering dangerous areas unless there is unavoidable reason to do so.”

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi wrote on X: “To everyone in the central Hokkaido Pacific coastal area, the Aomori Prefecture Pacific coastal area, and Iwate Prefecture, where a tsunami warning has been issued, please evacuate immediately to safe locations such as high ground or evacuation buildings.

“Even after the tsunami arrives, the second and third waves may become larger and reach the area, so please pay close attention to tsunami information and do not leave safe locations until the warning is lifted.”

In a related statement, Takaichi said, “We are putting people’s lives first and doing everything we can.”

Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that some people had been injured in Hachinohe, a city in the Aomori prefecture, and that some bullet train services had been suspended.

Japan’s Nuclear Regulation Authority stated on X that power stations in Totsu, Fukushima, and Onagawa had so far not reported any abnormalities following the quake.

Earthquakes in areas with nuclear power plants have been a major concern in Japan since a massive earthquake and tsunami in March 2011 triggered the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Japan sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” the line of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean, and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.

An earthquake on New Year’s Day 2024 in the north-central region of Noto killed more than 240 people.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.