Japan Earthquake: 6.9 Magnitude Quake in Northeastern Japan Triggers Small Tsunami Waves
6.9 quake off northeastern Japan triggered small tsunami waves with no major damage reported.
The 6.9-magnitude earthquake which struck off the east coast of Aomori Prefecture in northeastern Japan on December 12, 2025, at 11:44 a.m. local time, triggering small tsunami waves but causing no reported damage or injuries. The tremor, at a shallow depth of 20 kilometers, prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a tsunami advisory for coastal areas in Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, warning of potential waves up to one meter high. Small waves of around 20 centimeters were observed in locations such as Erimo in Hokkaido and parts of Aomori, but the advisory was lifted approximately two hours later after conditions stabilized.
This event follows a stronger 7.5- to 7.6-magnitude quake on December 8 in the same region, which injured over 50 people, caused light structural damage—including collapsed roads and fallen items—and generated tsunami waves up to 70 centimeters. That earlier tremor disrupted power, transportation, and daily life in communities like Hachinohe, where cleanup efforts continued amid aftershocks.
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Friday's quake registered lower seismic intensity (around 4 on Japan's shindo scale) compared to the prior event, resulting in milder shaking. The JMA noted that the latest quake occurred in an area still under a special advisory for elevated megaquake risk—magnitude 8 or higher—issued after the December 8 event, with heightened probabilities persisting for about a week. Authorities urged residents to maintain emergency preparedness, though no evacuation orders were necessary for Friday's incident. Nuclear facilities in the region reported no abnormalities.
Japan's location on the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it prone to frequent seismic activity, including the devastating 2011 magnitude-9.0 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami that killed nearly 20,000 people and caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Recent events in the Japan Trench area underscore ongoing vulnerabilities, prompting continued monitoring and public alerts to mitigate risks in this densely populated coastal zone.
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