Strong earthquake hits northern Japan with no tsunami threat

A powerful earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan on Thursday morning, shaking several regions and briefly disrupting transport services.

A powerful earthquake struck off the northern coast of Japan on Thursday morning, shaking several regions and briefly disrupting transport services. Authorities confirmed there was no tsunami threat and no immediate reports of major damage or casualties.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said the earthquake measured 7.2 in magnitude after revising its initial estimate of 6.9. The quake occurred off the eastern coast of Iwate Prefecture at a depth of about 50 kilometres. The United States Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at a magnitude of 6.9.

The tremor was felt across northeastern Japan during the busy morning rush hour and was also noticed in Tokyo, although the shaking there was much weaker. Officials quickly began assessing the situation as emergency teams gathered information from affected areas.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said there were no immediate reports of injuries or serious structural damage. He added that inspections were underway to ensure public safety and to monitor any changes in the situation.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had activated its emergency response system and was giving priority to protecting lives. She urged residents in the affected areas to stay alert because aftershocks remain possible following a strong earthquake.

People in several towns described the shaking as noticeable but manageable. Tomoko Nagane, a primary school principal in Hashikami town in Aomori Prefecture, said she was driving when her earthquake warning alert sounded. She felt moderate shaking from side to side before reaching the school.

Nagane said all children who had already arrived at school were safe, although some became frightened and cried after the earthquake. School officials decided to cancel classes for the day and ensured that all students returned home safely.

Television reports from cities including Sendai and Morioka showed that daily life continued with little disruption. Journalists on the scene said the shaking lasted for a couple of minutes, but there were no visible signs of serious damage. Many people continued their morning commute as normal after the earthquake.

Rail services in parts of northeastern Japan were temporarily suspended while safety inspections were carried out. East Japan Railway Company said several bullet train services and local rail lines were halted until tracks and equipment could be checked before operations resumed.

Authorities also inspected nuclear facilities across the region. Officials confirmed that no abnormalities had been detected at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, which was severely damaged during the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2011. Other nuclear facilities, including a spent fuel reprocessing plant in Aomori, also reported normal conditions.

The earthquake struck in an area that has experienced several strong tremors in recent months. A previous earthquake in the region prompted authorities to issue a week long advisory warning about the possibility of an even larger event.

Japan remains one of the world’s most earthquake prone countries because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, where several major tectonic plates meet. As a result, earthquakes of varying strength occur regularly and the country maintains one of the world’s most advanced earthquake monitoring and emergency response systems.