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Japan shaken by an earthquake measuring up to 5.7 in magnitude. No tsunami alert was issued

Raluca Ioana Draghici

8 November 2026, 07:37

International

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An earthquake with an estimated magnitude between 5.5 and 5.7 occurred on Sunday at 1:04 a.m. local time in the Shizuoka region of central Japan, at a depth of approximately 40 kilometers. The earthquake was felt over a wide area, with the strongest shaking reported in the neighboring prefecture of Aichi.

The Japan Meteorological Agency assessed the magnitude at 5.7, while the American Geophysical Institute (USGS) reported 5.5. The earthquake was felt in Hamamatsu, Kyoto, Nara, Yamanashi, and Gifu, but not in Tokyo.

Images broadcast by Japanese television stations showed broken shop windows and shards scattered across the streets. Among the injured were people who fell on stairs while trying to leave buildings.

Meteorologists stated that there was no tsunami risk, but warned that further strong earthquakes could occur over the following week, especially during the first two or three days. The earthquake occurred in the Nankai region, which is being monitored because of the risk of a major earthquake. However, authorities did not identify any unusual changes indicating an intensification of this risk.

Context: Japan has recently also experienced earthquakes and episodes of canceled seismic alerts

A few days earlier, a magnitude 5.9 earthquake that occurred near Tokyo injured 37 people and led to the activation of public alert systems, with no tsunami risk announced. Authorities also warned of the danger of aftershocks and landslides in the following days.

In addition, the Japan Meteorological Agency withdrew, after approximately eight minutes, a seismic alert issued by mistake after the initial estimate of the magnitude proved incorrect. JMA said that the warning was canceled as soon as the error was corrected and announced an investigation to determine the cause.