Updated: December 12, 2025 — A 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the east coast of Aomori prefecture on Honshu early Friday, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported, sending small tsunami waves ashore but producing no immediate reports of major damage.
The quake occurred at a depth of about 12 miles. Authorities issued a tsunami advisory for nearby coastal areas; the advisory was lifted roughly two hours later after only minor wave activity was recorded. Small waves were observed along parts of Hokkaido and Aomori prefectures, and there were no immediate reports of significant injuries or widespread structural damage.
Friday’s tremor came days after a stronger 7.5 magnitude quake struck Monday in the same general offshore region. That earlier temblor caused light damage, left at least 34 people injured, and generated a small tsunami along Japan’s Pacific coast. Some communities on the Pacific shoreline reported waves as high as about 28 inches.
No tsunami alerts were issued for the U.S. West Coast or Hawaii following either event.
In the wake of Monday’s quake, Japan issued a broad “megaquake” advisory on Tuesday estimating that an offshore magnitude-9-class event could produce a tsunami as high as roughly 98 feet and potentially result in nearly 200,000 deaths in a worst-case scenario. Officials emphasized the advisory was not a prediction but a planning exercise to spur preparedness and resilience measures. They put the immediate chance of a magnitude-8 or larger event at about 1%.
Japanese authorities said the advisory was meant to serve as a wake-up call about the devastating potential of a major offshore earthquake—evoking concerns tied to the 2011 disaster that killed nearly 20,000 people and destroyed a nuclear power plant.
Seismologists noted that Monday’s 7.5 quake temporarily increased seismic risk in Hokkaido and along the Sanriku coast, where the Pacific Plate interacts with the Japan and Chishima trenches—regions that have produced many large earthquakes historically. Experts continue to monitor aftershocks and stress changes in the area, urging residents to follow local advisories and preparedness guidance.
Local and national agencies remain on alert, but as of the latest updates there have been no reports of major new damage from Friday’s 6.7 quake.