Overview
- The offshore quake struck around 11:15 p.m. JST on Dec. 8 at a depth of about 54 km, registering JMA intensity upper 6 in Hachinohe and 5-upper in Hakodate with a magnitude of 7.5.
- Tsunami advisories were issued and a roughly 50 cm sea-level rise was observed at Urakawa, prompting precautionary coastal evacuations with limited inundation reported.
- Authorities counted at least 51 injuries, including 11 in Hokkaido, and noted temporary store closures along with delays in logistics and postal deliveries.
- The government’s Earthquake Research Committee convened an emergency meeting on Dec. 9 and warned of the possibility of further, potentially stronger shaking, describing the event as a reverse-fault type.
- The Japan Meteorological Agency issued its post-earthquake caution information for this sequence, and experts urged residents to verify information as false claims circulated on social media and to review basic preparedness.