Reuters
Tokyo, Updated At: 02:10 PM Apr 20, 2026 IST
An earthquake measuring 7.5 struck off Japan’s northeastern coast on Monday, and authorities warned residents to avoid coastal areas as tsunami waves up to 3 metres (9.84 ft) were expected.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said the quake’s epicentre was in the Pacific Ocean at a depth of 10 km. The biggest waves were expected in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force and urged people in affected areas to evacuate to safety.
Broadcaster NHK showed ships leaving Hachinohe port in Hokkaido ahead of the waves and broadcast an on-screen alert reading, “Tsunami! Evacuate!”
Bullet train services in Aomori at the northern tip of Honshu were halted because of the tremors, Kyodo news agency reported.
The quake registered an “upper 5” on Japan’s seismic intensity scale — strong enough to make it difficult for people to move around and, in many cases, cause unreinforced concrete-block walls to collapse.
Japan is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, with tremors occurring frequently. Located on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” Japan accounts for about 20% of the world’s earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or more.
There are no nuclear power plants currently in operation in Hokkaido and Tohoku regions, though Hokkaido Electric Power Co and Tohoku Electric Power Co have several shutdown plants there. Tohoku Electric said it was checking the impact of the earthquake and tsunami on its Onagawa nuclear power plant.
