A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's northeastern coast late Monday, December 8, 2025, at 11:15 p.m. local time (2:15 p.m. GMT), prompting tsunami alerts for Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures before being lifted after waves of 40 cm hit Urakawa and Mutsu Ogawara. The epicenter lay 80 km offshore from Aomori at a shallow 50 km depth, shaking regions intensely for about 30 seconds and scattering glass shards in Hachinohe streets, with minor injuries reported but no fatalities or widespread destruction confirmed. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi activated an emergency task force to assess impacts, prioritizing evacuations for up to 90,000 residents amid power outages affecting thousands.
Japan Meteorological Agency warned of potential "additional strong and intense" aftershocks in coming days, while Tohoku and Hokkaido Electric confirmed no nuclear irregularities despite checks at Fukushima, where treated water release paused as precaution. IAEA verified normal operations at the plant, echoing 2011's 9.0 disaster that killed nearly 20,000. Public broadcaster NHK aired live footage of swaying buildings in Tokyo, underscoring the Pacific Ring of Fire's volatility where Japan logs 1,500 quakes yearly.
Damage assessments continue with no tsunami irregularities beyond initial surges up to 0.7 m at Kuji port; residents urged vigilance. The event rattled the archipelago's 125 million amid routine seismic activity.