Japan Earthquake: Magnitude 6.1 Quake Near Tokyo
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Japan’s eastern coast on Friday evening, about 150 miles east-southeast of Tokyo. Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued no…
HASAKI, Japan — A strong magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Japan’s eastern coast on Friday evening, about 150 miles east-southeast of Tokyo, with no tsunami warning or advisory issued. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake caused light shaking and issued a green alert indicating a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
The shaking was felt in the Kanto region near the capital, but no immediate reports of injuries or damage followed. Japan’s Meteorological Agency recorded seismic intensity 3 on the country’s 0-to-7 scale.
The earthquake occurred at 7:39 p.m. local time in the Pacific Ocean, roughly 90 miles southeast of Hasaki, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The agency placed its depth at 18 miles.
No tsunami threat.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued neither a warning nor an advisory, and no damaging tsunami was expected. That eased the immediate risk for coastal communities after a sizeable offshore tremor, while authorities’ reports indicated that shaking was limited.
How strong was the Japan earthquake?
The Japan Meteorological Agency recorded seismic intensity 3. It described that level as strong enough for almost everyone indoors to feel shaking, with dishes on shelves potentially rattling.
The U.S. Geological Survey’s green PAGER alert also indicated a low likelihood of casualties and damage. No immediate injuries or damage were reported after the quake.
The event struck offshore, about 155 miles from Tokyo in the U.S. Geological Survey’s distance estimate. The Tokyo metropolitan area is home to more than 35 million people, making the absence of a tsunami alert a key part of the immediate assessment for the region.
Why the location matters
Japan sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire and is among the world’s most seismically active countries. The quake occurred about 375 kilometers (233 miles) south of the epicenter of the magnitude 9.1 earthquake that struck Japan in 2011 and triggered a devastating tsunami.
That earlier disaster provides historical context for why tsunami alerts matter after offshore earthquakes. In this case, Japan’s Meteorological Agency issued no alert, and the U.S. Geological Survey reported light shaking rather than a high likelihood of harm.
The strongest immediate details were consistent across the agencies: a magnitude 6.1 offshore quake, light shaking and no tsunami warning. The earthquake struck at 7:39 p.m. local time.
