Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Strikes Off Japan's Iwate Coast; No Tsunami Warning Issued

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Iwate Prefecture at 5:21 am on Sunday at a depth of 41 kilometres, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said. No tsunami warning was issued, and there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Residents from Hokkaido to the Kanto-Koshin region felt tremors ranging in intensity from 4 to 1.

The tremor struck the same northeastern region hit by a 7.2-magnitude earthquake on Thursday, June 25. That earlier tremor recorded a maximum seismic intensity of 6+. As of 7:00 am local time, authorities had recorded no additional earthquakes with a seismic intensity of 1 or higher following the event.

"There is no concern for a tsunami," Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a post on X. She added that the government was continuing its response through the crisis management office established at the Prime Minister's Office following the June 25 earthquake. She instructed officials to assess the damage, provide timely and accurate information to the public, and take all necessary response measures.

Seismic Risks and Warnings

Hachinohe City in Aomori Prefecture and Fudai Village in Iwate Prefecture recorded a maximum seismic intensity of lower 5. The JMA identified the earthquake's cause as a reverse fault with a pressure axis running west-northwest to east-southeast. It further clarified that the earthquake does not meet the criteria for issuing a warning regarding a subsequent earthquake off the coast of Hokkaido and the Sanriku region.

The agency warned of potential aftershocks of up to intensity 6+ for a week. Officials also cautioned about an increased risk of rockfalls and landslides across the affected areas.

A separate 5.6-magnitude earthquake shook Yamanashi Prefecture near Mount Fuji on Friday. Japan, located along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries.

Takaichi said she had instructed officials to assess the damage, provide timely and accurate information to the public, and take all necessary response measures.