12/08/2025

Samuel Clifford

On December 8, 2025 a 7.6 magnitude earthquake occurred on Japan’s northeastern coast. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake occurred at 11:15 p.m. local time (9:15 a.m. ET), about 44 miles (70 km) off the nation’s coast, at a depth of roughly 33 miles. Japan’s Meteorological Agency reported the main earthquake at magnitude 7.2.

Japan’s government issued a tsunami warning for parts of Honshu’s eastern coast and Hokkaido, with several prefectures ordering coastal evacuations.

The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) projected waves as high as 9 feet in areas closest to the epicenter, and has already recorded tsunami heights of 1.3 and 1.6 feet.

A tsunami advisory was also issued for Fukushima Prefecture, the site of the 2011 earthquake-triggered nuclear disaster.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed a magnitude 5.5 aftershock about 15 minutes after the initial quake.

Sources:

Atienza, Julian. “Massive Magnitude 7.6 Earthquake Rocks Coast off Northern Japan, Government Issues Tsunami Warning.” Fox Weather, 8 Dec. 2025, https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/magnitude-7-6-earthquake-japan-government-tsunami-warning.