A moderate earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.9 rattled eastern Japan, including the Tokyo area, early on Sunday. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported that the quake originated in the southern part of Ibaraki Prefecture at a depth of 70 kilometers (42 miles). While the JMA recorded the magnitude at 5.9, the United States Geological Survey recorded a preliminary magnitude of 5.8.
Ibaraki epicenter shakes Tokyo region
Seismic intensity across the Kanto plain
The earthquake struck at approximately 2:00 a.m. local time, registering a “lower 5” on the Japanese seismic intensity scale in several locations. This intensity was noted in Adachi Ward in the Tokyo Metropolis, 10 cities in Ibaraki Prefecture, four locations in Saitama Prefecture, and two in Chiba Prefecture. Additionally, a seismic intensity of 4 was recorded in other parts of Tokyo, as well as in Tochigi, Gunma, and Kanagawa districts.
Immediate government and safety response
Despite the strong jolt felt in the capital, the country’s meteorological agency confirmed that there was no threat of a tsunami. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated on X that the government established a task force to assess the extent of possible damage. The temblor triggered emergency quake alerts on mobile phones and activated community loudspeaker alerts.
Infrastructure damage and reported injuries
Reports of consequences varied. In Tokyo’s eastern ward of Koto, an underground water pipe ruptured, with water pouring out onto the road as captured in NHK footage. Metropolitan authorities began looking into whether this damage was linked to the temblor. According to TEPCO Power Grid, approximately 460 homes in Tokyo experienced power outages. Regarding injuries, local fire departments reported that multiple people were injured, including a young man and a woman in her 70s in Saitama, as well as three people in Kawasaki.
Nuclear facilities remain stable
Nuclear facilities in the region reported no abnormalities. The Nuclear Regulation Authority stated there were no reports of anything out of the ordinary from about a dozen nuclear power plants and other facilities that handle nuclear materials. This includes the Tokai No. 2 nuclear power plant in Ibaraki Prefecture, as well as the Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear power plants, according to their respective operators.
Public reaction and historical context
NHK public television showed traffic on roads in nearby cities, including Mito and Saitama, appearing seemingly normal following the event. BBC foreign correspondent Kurumi Mori reported on X that an earthquake alert had gone off on her phones, followed by shaking in Tokyo caused by a magnitude 5.9 earthquake in Ibaraki Prefecture.
The Japan Tourism Agency maintains the “Safety Tips” application, which provides an immediate notification system for earthquakes of magnitude 4 or higher, as well as tsunami warnings, evacuation tips, and real-time data on shaking throughout Japan. This seismic event marks the largest quake over the past month.
The incident follows a larger earthquake that struck last month in the Kumamoto area on Japan’s southernmost island of Kyushu. That magnitude 7.1 event resulted in 38 deaths and 364 injuries, while destroying more than 1,500 buildings and damaging nearly 20,000 others.