Tsunami warning issued for Japan’s northeastern coast after 7.6-magnitude earthquake

Tuesday, December 9, 2025 -A powerful 7.6‑magnitude earthquake struck off the northeastern coast of Japan late Monday, prompting authorities to issue tsunami warnings for the region. 

The quake struck around 11:15 p.m. local time near Aomori Prefecture, with the epicenter located roughly 80 km offshore at a depth of about 50–53 km. The quake registered as an “upper 6” on Japan’s seismic intensity scale, strong enough to shake buildings, topple furniture and rattle communities along the coast.

Officials from the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) warned that tsunami waves as high as three metres could reach the coasts of prefectures including Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate, while adjacent prefectures such as Miyagi and Fukushima were placed on alert with advisories. In response, around 90,000 residents were ordered to evacuate to safer ground as a precaution.

Overnight and into early Tuesday, observed tsunami waves remained moderate — ranging between 20 cm and 70 cm at several ports along the coast. By morning, the JMA downgraded the tsunami warning to an advisory and eventually lifted all tsunami alerts after confirming no major waves had struck.